All your fault!
by LittleFlowerLei
Summary: Poor Hilda Wormwart was left alone with her younger siblings. When captured by prince Zuko, they relize he is with the fire nation. Insantly, they hate him.What will happen to the wormwart orphans and Zuko? FINISHED!
1. The Wormwort Orphans

**The Wormwart orphans**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The last air bender. Nick does. I think. Well anyway. I dont own it and thats all that really matters._**

It was late twilight on a humid summer day in June. It was a wounderful day for the earth kingdom.Everyone was playing happily. A young, yet happy girl named Hilda; whom was at the age of six. She had turned six just six weeks ago; played outside with her sisters Violet ;3 years; and Ashli;2 months. All three of the youngsters were earth benders.They lived in a resonably fun town with a resonably good life. They wernt materialistic. Very resorceful. as the youngsters played with eachother, without hurting the youngest. In the resonably fun town. The lushious green plants around them were fun to play with as well as the other children in the area. The eldes, wounderd away from the others in a game of hide and seek. She was looking for a great place to hide herself so no one would be able to find her, she saw it. There were other earth benders sprawled dead in pools of dark red blood. was splatterd on the trees of the forest where the bodys were dumped. Apparently, the fire nation didnt want anyone to freak out so early. Before their bodys stood the fear of the town. The fire benders. Luckly, Hilda was able to ward her sisters away from the danger. Her mother called them in for dinner, Hilda said nothing about what she had seen. Hilda had a hurting feeling in her stomach as she ate. She would wince because of the smart that it left behind. Her mother saw this and told her that it might be a good idea to go on to bed. Hilda knew that she wasnt sick. She knew that the feeling was because she knew something bad was going to happen. But her father often warned her that if she was to jump to conclusions, she would get into trouble, so she didnt say anything about her worries. What else could the fire nation be there for but to harm them?

This family, wasnt rich. The children had to share a room. Ashli's crib was a tiny shoe box while Violet and Hilda's bed were two small blankets that had a hole in it ontop of cardboard. The family got by just fine, but couldnt have the luxeries because of the fire nation often came to tax them. They hadnt much money at all. Infact, in that paticular town, if a family was unable to pay the fire nation, the family would be killed. Hilda often kept in her prayers that her family would never sucum to that kind of torture. So far so good really. They had so far been able to pay the fire nation. But Hilda had a gut feeling that something was going to go wrong. Yet, she did nothing and said nothing about it. She always had these gut feelings, and they were never right. But they have mostly been coming sence she turned six, six weeks ago. Hilda lied on her card board with the blanket over her, the night's sleep would take her a long, long time. Mrs.Wormwart had put the baby to bed just an hour after Hilda had nodded off. Violet had joined her sister in dreamland when Ashli was put to bed.

Hilda was shaken awake by her mother. Nearly screaming at her to wake up. Violet was still fast asleep.

"Momma...whats going on?" Hilda asked tirdly. She had not yet woken up from her deep sleep. Hilda's mother was in her long night gown with a rob thrown over her shoulders.

"Hilda my baby. Your my oldest, take your sisters and get out." Her mother told her.

"Why..? whats going on...?" Hilda asked, she still had not fully awoken yet.

"The firenation is coming! Just do as I say and get out!" Her mother hissed at her. Hilda nodded, hearing the word fire nation had woken her up. To them, saying the phraze "firenation is coming" Is just as bad as saying. "The boogy man is coming."

"Okay momma." Hilda replied almost instantly.

"If anything happends to me, Remember this my darling, your father and I love all three of you,It fills us with pride to know that no matter what happends in this life, you three will take care of eachother with love and selflessness as you always have." As her mother ran down the stairs after saying that, Hilda lit a candle and unhooked the bars on Ashli's crib, she had to quickly grab her screaming baby sister and wake up her second youngest sibling. She tried to get her baby sister to stop crying.

"quiet you fool! The fire nation is outside!" Hilda hissed at her baby sister, which was nearly as bad as saying "someone is going to kill us." They heard a scream. The scream of their mother. Hilda instantly gave Ashli to Violet and ran to the railing of the stairs. They saw a solider of the fire nation stabbing their mother to death. They spotted Hilda and began to run up the stairs, Instantly, Hilda ran back into the room, taking her baby sister in her arms and grabbing the middle Wormwart and getting them out of the house. Once Hilda got them to a safe location. Ashli began to cry. They had left her binki in the crib. She would never stop crying without it. Quickly, Hilda ran back to the house and into the room through the way she came out. She was able to grab a picture of their family, the binki, and some blankets, while getting stabbed 14 times. She staggerd out the window and back to her safe sisters. Bleeding. She plugged up her baby sister with the binki and gave the photo to her sister. She held the blankets to her chest where she got stabbed, trying to keep the blood from gushing out like it had before. "Dont worry..." Hilda whisperd to her sisters. "I'll take care of you. Just like momma.."

And just like that, the Wormwart children, became the Wormwart orphans...

**

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****Woot short chapter! But oh so sad.. ;; dont laugh at the last name Wormwart. That was Mitilda's last name on that movie I like called 'matilda'. Pluse, They dont deserve that kind of mean ness..**


	2. Prince ZukoPrince of the fire nation

**Prince Zuko- Prince of the Firenation**

10 years, 10 Long, long years.Hilda has taken responcability for her siblings. With Violet being 13 now, Ashli10, and Hilda 16. Violet and Ashli look upto her sister as their protection and way to get love. They knew she was Miss. Unafraid. She was never afraid of anything, she was independent and self-sufficiant. She kept her heart protected, so she would never ever feel rejected. She had no time for love that came her way, she was much to buisy taking care of her sisters and trying to make a life for them. Trying to keep her promise.Violet helped her sister as much as possable. Ashli did as well, when she became old enough. As their mother had said the last time she saw her babies, They took care of eachother with self-lessness and love as they always have. It was now more than before that they needed eachother. For comfert, for support, for protection. During the ten years. Hilda found a job, waitressing at a resturant while her sisters went to school in the town. She spoke of her parents' tragic death in her resume, and the buisness offored to help support her. Of course, she took all the help she could get, so now, no one would know of their past unless they saw their broken smiles. But, whenever they see someone from the Fire nation, they lose their minds and do whatever they can to mess with them. Well. The day fate walked into the resturant, lets just say, Their usual behavior was the worst thing that karma could do to them.

It all started out like a normal 3 o' clock.Violet and Ashli had just gotten back from school and were doing their homework at the bar of the resturant as their sister worked. The small bell above the resturant rang as the siblings saw two men walk into their resturant. One man, was Prince Zuko of the Firenation, and his uncle Iroh. They sat near the girls. They gave their working sister a look that said. "Okay lets do it." With that, their sister nodded and walked to them.

"What'll it be?" Hilda asked. Acting nice. Or remotly nice anyway.

"Curry." Zuko told her bitterly.

"Spigetti." Iroh told her not as bitterly as his nephew. She took the orders down and walked into the kitchen to get the orders ready. Violet looked at Zuko.

"Sir. Can you please help me with my homework?" Violet asked him. She didnt need help,she knew exactly what to do. Zuko didnt really want to, but his uncle made him, by nudging him in the side.

"I'll try." Zuko told her, looking at her homework. It was math. "I think you just add that, to that, and subtract it by that and I think thats it." While he was helping her, Hilda put some spicy and discusting spices in the curry, but not the spigetti mainly because he was an old man. When she gave them the food, Zuko took one bite out of the curry and then spat out the bite. Enraged. He grabbed the eldest Wormwart and instructed his soliders to get the other two. All three siblings were taken to cells on the ship. They got one big cell together. Hilda held both her sisters close to her as this happend, both were in tears.

"Im sorry girls.." Hilda apoligized. She had promised to keep them safe and this goes and happends.

"Hilda..dont be sorry." Ashli said to her sister. Holding on tight. "Like you told me momma said 10 years ago. We will take care of eachother with love and self-lessness as we always have. Besides, your not afraid of anything."

"Your right Ashli." Hilda said to her youngest sister, hugging them tight, she only let go of them for a second to peek out the cell window, which had thick metel bars, to keep them from escaping. "Heres the plan...

Violet and Ashli nodded in understand ment. They both lied on the floor of the cell and moaned.

"Guard!" Hilda screamed. A guard came over to the cell. "There sick! My sisters are sick! There going to die please help me!" Now, unlike the other guards, this guard was a softy, he opend the gate and walked in, it was at this time that the young sisters got out of the way of him and out the door, in enough time to get to their sister and lock the door. With that, they ran up to the deck to be seen by Prince Zuko. "Stay back girls. I'll handle this chump." That enraged Zuko again.

"Who are you calling a chump!" He hissed at her. She grinned evily.

"Who else? Your the only one here!" She hissed right back at him. She ran to him, after making sure her sisters would be okay. She knew martial arts very well and thats how she fought him.He only burned alittle of her. But whatelse could set her hatred aflame? As they fought, lets say this, his hand, it grabbed her breast. She kicked him in the balls and he staggerd around in pain. "DONT EVER TOUCH ME AGAIN YOU PERVERT!"

"You bitch!" He yelled attacking her. Again, he missed and she ended up standing on her hands which were on his shoulder. Her face was near his. She grabbed his shoulders and jumped down behind him,bringing him over her head and slamming him on the thing that sends black smoke into the air.

"As I said. Chump." Hilda snapped grinning Triumphantly. She ran to the side with her sisters but found that they were far away from land so they couldnt swim without dying. Thats when, She saw Appa. "HEY!" She called to the bison, waving her arms, her sisters joined in.

Aang heard someone calling for Appa. Turned Appa around to see three girls waving their arms wildly trying to get their attintion.

"Probably his captives." Aang said flying Appa down to them and allowing them on.

"Thank you so much." Hilda said to them as she and her sisters got onto Appa.Violet and Ashli played with Momo.

"Its not a problem." Aang told her grinning as he flew Appa away from the ship.

"What were you doing on Prince Zuko's ship?" Katara asked her. She sighed.

"Long story. Lets just say this, Dont put spices in his curry and piss him off." Hilda told them. Aang laughed.

"You put spices in his curry? That must have been hilarious!" Aang told her laughing.

"It was when he spit it out and threw a fit." Hilda laughed. "and when I kicked him in the nuts." Thats what made them all laugh.

"You kicked his nuts? That must have been funny!" Sokka said to her laughing. Hilda laughed.

"It was. He was all: Who did you call a chump! and I was all You!" Hilda told them. They were nice. Her sisters sat on both sides of her, playing with Momo.


	3. Nobody's home

**Nobody's home**

Aang, Katara, and Sokka quickly became fast friends with the warmwort orphans.Sokka and Katara could relate the most to Hilda and her sisters' situation in the past. They heard eachother's stomachs growl. Hilda laughed and told them that if they stopped, she could make them some dinner. She was rather good at it, having to cook for her sisters all the time. Even when her parents were alive. Aang stopped Appa in the middle of a forest as everyone got off. Hilda asked them if they had any noodles, sauce. They didn't. Hilda had to go to the shop in town and look for some of the ingrediances she needed.

It was at this time while she was doing so, that Prince Zuko finally woke from being knocked out for a few hours.One woken, he orderd his soliders to find that girl.

"What about the avatar?" The solider asked. Zuko fumed.

"Who are you to question my judgment?" Zuko hissed at him. For that second, he had actually completly forgotten about the Avatar. But he coverd up his own stupidity wtih a hiss. That girl was a worthy opponit. Smart and resorceful. Strong and graceful. No one, not even his uncle was able to easily throw him over thier shoulders, and put such force into the throw. She was definitly unlike anyother opponite that he had faced before.He was looking forward to fighting her again. The solider had informed him that they had gotten to an island and asked him if they should search it. "Yes." Zuko awncerd. "Ready the rhynos."

As Hilda shopped in town with her sisters, she felt someone do that finger thing to the back of her neck and knock her out. Zuko did that, to the sisters as well. When they awoke they were in the cell again.

"Damn it." Hilda mumbled to herself. Her sisters where still sleeping on the one cot in the cell. She put her youngest on the cot and the middle on the floor trying her best to make a bed for her. She shiverd. She wasnt able to grab anything to keep herself or her sisters warm, but she felt someone throw a blanket over her freezing shoulders. She looked up and saw Iroh smiling back at her.

"Hello there. I apoligize for my nephew." Iroh told her, looking at her sisters, he admired how a girl at such a young age cared so deeply for her siblings. "Your sisters?"

"Yeah. A 10 year old and a 13 year old." She informed him, gazing at her younger siblings which she had taken care of sence they were too small to remember. But, she rememberd all too well. It was the day she found nobody would be home, no one to give her a hug, she would always be giving them out to her siblings when they needed them. She grew strong with the time passing by. She's lost inside.

"I admire how caring you are tword them. Would you like some green tea?" Iroh asked her, she nodded. He left for a moment and then came back with four cups of tea. "The other two are for your sisters when they wake up." Hilda took the tea and drank it. She rather liked the tast of green tea. But she could never really afford it herself.

"Thank you. I only wish I had known I'd be on this ship sooner, I'd have gone home and gotten my guitar." Hilda informed him. Seriously. She would play guitar when things got bad or depressing.

"Oh? You play?" Iroh asked her. She nodded.

"Its how I made the money to support myself and my sisters. We'd have to struggle before I could get a job. I'd play guitar and we'd wash our hair in drug store bathrooms with the sink." She told Iroh, missing her guitar. She was miles away from it now. Iroh looked at her with a conserned expression. "They never thought I was scared. I was their Miss.unafraid. Infact. That cot is the most luxury we ever had. Our family was poor and my middle sibling and I slept on cardboard. It may not sound like a good life, but we enjoyed it none the less."

"What happend to your parents?" Iroh asked, she got quiet.

"I dont want to talk about that." She slightly hissed, she finished her tea and felt her baby sister hug onto her arm.

"Hilda...who is he..? He is that man from the fire nation.." Ashli whisperd to her sister, Hilda smiled and gave her some green tea.

"Drink it. You'll feel better." Hilda told her littlest sister, stroking her hair as she drank it.

"Its good." Ashli mumbled to her. She nodded.

"It is."

"I quit!" yelled the cook after Zuko had orderd him to cook something large for only him and his uncle. Now, Zuko had no cook. Where did he turn when he needed more help on the ship? To the prisoners. He walked to the cell that his uncle sat in with the three girls. Giving them tea. Zuko opend the cell and saw Hilda shoot him a cold glare.

"You. You will cook for us." Zuko declaired pointing at her. Hilda almost stood up and shouted, but rememberd...

"I will. For a price." She told him, leaning on the wall. Zuko sighed.

"Of course, what will it cost?" Zuko asked her. She grinned.

"You have to turn this ship around and go back to my island and allow me to get my things." Hilda snapped at him. He sighed, he was hungry and it was almost dinner time. He agreed.

"Cook dinner and I'll turn around and get your things." Zuko told her, she grinned. She and her sisters walked out of the cell and into the kitchen. She turned to her sisters and smiled as she tied an apron around herself.

"Okay girls. Pasta Puttanesca" Hilda told them, looking through the cabnits for tomato sauce. "Hmm..no sauce. Looks like we have our work cut out for us. Okay first. Violet." She said pointing to the middle child "You get some olive oil, 1 medium onion,4 cloves garlic,tomatoes,12 basil leaves,2 T chopped fresh oregano,fennel seed,and sugar. Ashli, you get me anchovy paste, red pepper flakes,capers,basil leaves, and kalamata olives. Violet, when you get the ingrediances for the sauce put them on the counter, I'll make the sauce once I find a strainer." Her sisters did as they were told. Once she got all the ingrediances, she began to cook pasta Puttanesca. Italian. Once it was all cooked, she put the sauce on the Puttnesca and on the dinner table. "Dinner is served." With that, Zuko, his uncle, and Hilda's two sisters were seated as the dinner was served."Puttanesca."

"What did you call me?" Zuko snapped.

"Its pasta, Pasta Puttanesca." Hilda clarified.They all took a bite and a grin passed her sisters' faces and Iroh's. Zuko's face remained bitter. Hilda couldnt believe him.

"Its good." Zuko told her. "Your going to be the new cook. As I promised, I'll turn the ship around." Hilda had intintionally planned to run when he got the ship back to the dock of the town. She relized that this ship would be the closest thing to a home that her sisters would have. Usually, they lived on the streets, washed their hair in the drug store bathroom, had to eat off of the tiny tips Hilda got for playing the guitar. Which would barly make into ten dollors. She and her sisters walked back to the cell and got a place to sleep. Hilda found a way for both her siblings to sleep in the cot, she slept on the floor. The cold cell floor. She didnt mind. Im not going to say that she liked it. Because she didnt. She'd much rather be sleeping on a cardboard box. Those at least were sort of comfertable. All she could do was keep her sisters warm with the blanket Iroh gave her earlyer. She had nothing, but she just wanted to sleep.

By the time she awoke the next morning, she saw that a warm fire bender blanket was thrown around her as she slept. Was that how she fell asleep? Ah well. She woke up and saw they were at the island. Her sisters' first thoughts were to run and try to get away. But Hilda stopped them and had them pack what little they had.

"Its useless." Hilda told them. "That cell is the only home we have. We can continue sleeping in this tent, or we can go into that ship and actually have one cot to sleep on. Look you guys. Remember when we would play and make all the bad things around us good?" Hilda asked her sisters. They nodded. "Lets play again. We can make that icky old cell into a nice little home for us." Hilda said to them smiling. They nodded. They knew that their sister knew how to make a terrible situation into an easy to live in situation. They grabbed what little things they had and Hilda grabbed her guitar and returned to the ship. They walked back into the cell and put their things in it. They returned to find three cots. They grinned, now they would all have a place to sleep and not have to share or sleep on the floor. They spread out the cots so that there was room for their stuff. They put an end table in between the beds and put the photo of their parents on it. They put their bags under their beds and Hilda played a song. It felt so good to play her guitar again in the mist of when things looked hopeless.

It was at twilight when Hilda went to the deck with her guitar and played her song. She just played the notes in the cell. This song wasnt like her. It wasnt like her usual 'Miss.Unafraid' title. She had served everyone dinner before coming up to the deck. She sat on the railing and strummed the first few notes of the song.

"I couldn't tell you why she felt that way,  
She felt it everyday.  
And I couldn't help her,  
I just watched her make the same mistakes again.

What's wrong, what's wrong now?  
Too many, too many problems.  
Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs.  
She wants to go home, but nobody's home.  
It's where she lies, broken inside.  
With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes.  
Broken inside.

Open your eyes and look outside, find the reasons why.  
You've been rejected, and now you can't find what you left behind.  
Be strong, be strong now.  
Too many, too many problems.  
Don't know where she belongs, where she belongs.  
She wants to go home, but nobody's home.  
It's where she lies, broken inside.  
With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes.  
Broken inside.

Her feelings she hides.  
Her dreams she can't find.  
She's losing her mind.  
She's fallen behind.  
She can't find her place.  
She's losing her faith.  
She's fallen from grace.  
She's all over the place.  
Yeah,oh

She wants to go home, but nobody's home.  
It's where she lies, broken inside.  
With no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes.  
Broken inside.

She's lost inside, lost inside...oh oh  
She's lost inside, lost inside...oh oh yeah"

**

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Song Nobody's home by Avril Lavigne**


	4. The reason why

**The reason why**

Little did she know that someone was watching her. From some place where they could not be seen. While everyone else ate, this person was able to get out unseen. She kept strumming even after the song was over. The song said all that was in her heart. She wanted to go home, but no one would be home. She hides her feelings from her sisters and everyone around her, she can't find her dreams, having to take care of 2 sisters at the age of 6. Normally, you'd think she would have gone to an orphanage. They didnt want to, so they relied on eachother. She played guitar untill she was fourteen, it was at that time she was able to get a job at the diner where karma gave them a good kick in the...

This person stood out of sight. Untill they found it was okay to bring themselfs into sight. So this person did. Hilda saw this person and nearly fell off the side. But luckly, she fell off the other side with the hard metel deck.

"What do you want?" She hissed at this person. He was silent.

"Its my ship, I can come up here when ever I want." He hissed right back at her. "You play well."

"Thanks but I know. I had to feed my sisters off my tips from playing for 8 years." She hissed, not wanting to take in his artificial kindness. Only because he felt bad for her. "I dont need _you're_ pity."

"Fine then." He hissed. Unable to think of a better responce. "Its funny how you can hide it."

"Hide what?" She snapped. He chuckled to himself.

"The fact that you like me." He told her.

"What makes you think that?" She hissed. He didnt smile but anyone could tell he was being an ass.

"The way you seem to hate me so much." He told her. "I've seen girls be mean to the guys they like. When I was younger." Hilda was glaring at him.

"I anything but like you." She hissed. "I _hate_ you." With that, she got off the deck and walked down to the hull where the cell was. _yuck._ She thought to herself. _Like him! No way.He is so not my type. I like the type that doesnt destroy families._ She ploped down on her cot and staired up at the metel celing. _Self important basturd..._ She thought to herself as she saw her sleepy sisters walk into the cell. She grinned and put them to bed. She was a regular teenaged mother. Except with more responcability. She put the blanket Iroh gave her over Violet and let Ashli have the blanket that was already on the cot. She kissed her sisters on the forehead good night and lied herself down on the cot. Now that they had their things, she had a jacket to throw over her shoulders. She was used to not having a blanket, she always gave them to her sisters. Her jacket was black and not very thick. Just one of those jackets that you throw over your arms when it isnt very cold but still cold. This is the only jacket that she had, even when it was winter she'd wear it and try to keep warm. But she would always make sure her sisters were the warm ones. They were both too young to remember, esspecially Ashli. But she rememberd all too well. She rememberd their life on the streets. If they can survive on the streets they can survive on a ship with a jackass. She fell asleep on her cot with her jacket as her only blanket.

She woke early so she could make breakfast that morning. She didnt wake her sisters or anyone. She just walked into the kitchen and began cooking.

"Whats for breakfast?" A voice asked from the door way. Hilda sighed.

"Pasta Puttanesca." She told him. That was actually all she had the ingrediances for.

"again?" He asked. She nodded. She didnt say anything more to him. He walked into the dining room where he was accompanied by Hilda Wormwart's siblings, and his uncle. Zuko didnt talk much,but Iroh did conversate with the siblings.

"Do you play Pai-cho?" Iroh asked the young siblings, they shook their heads. They never had any money to learn even if they wanted too. "I will teach you later if you wish." to that, they nodded. Zuko was silent untill the puttanesca was served. Even while he ate he was silent. When breakfast had ended, The young Wormwart orphans went onto the deck and bended some coal, while Hilda went down to the hull into the cell and began to play her guitar. Zuko figured to get into the mind of the eldes, he had to talk to the youngest.

At this time, Violet was playing Pai-cho with Iroh and Ashli was bending some coal to get better. Zuko approched the youngest Wormwart orphan as she did this, she was instantly on guard, ready to attack if needed. Zuko assured her he wasnt going to harm her.

"Tell me. What happend when you were little?" Zuko asked the youngest Wormwart. Ashli stopped bending and sat on the hard metel deck of the ship.

"I don't remember. You have to be more spacific." Ashli told him, not sure if she should say anything or not. "You should ask big sister Hilda."

"If I did, she probably wouldnt tell me. Try and remember. What happend lets say...when you were...three?" Zuko told her. She was silent.

"All I remember is the drug store bathroom. Big Sister Hilda telling me to quickly wash my hair. Then I remember having to help my sisters steal from a shoe store so we didnt hurt our feet on the pavement.Big sister Hilda told me that she would take care of Violet and myself." She told him, Zuko sighed. Not a real big help.

"Okay." with that, he walked away from the youngest Wormwart orphan.Really irritated that he couldnt find anything out about the eldest. He decided that he'd try to ask her but it wouldnt work, he had a feeling in his gut that it wouldnt work. When he got to her cell she was playing her guitar, while singing a new song.

"Try to tell me what I shouldn't do  
You should know by now  
I won't listen to you  
Walk around with my hands  
Up in the air  
'Cause I don't care  
'Cause I'm all right  
I'm fine  
Just freak out let it go  
I'm gonna live my life  
I can't ever run and hide  
I won't compromise  
'Cause I'll never know  
I'm gonna close my eyes  
I can't watch the time go by  
I won't keep it inside  
Freak out let it go  
Just freak out let it go  
You don't always have to do everything right  
Stand up for yourself  
And put up a fight  
Walk around with your hands up in the air  
Like you don't care  
'Cause I'm all right  
I'm fine  
Just freak out let it go  
Let it go  
On my own  
Let it go  
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah  
Just let me live my life  
I can't ever run and hide  
I won't compromise  
'Cause i'll never know  
I'm gonna close my eyes  
I can't watch the time go by  
I won't keep it inside  
Freak out let it go  
Gonna freak out let it go

Gonna freak out let it go

Gonna freak out let it go" Hilda sang, Zuko leaned on the cell door. It was when she finished that she noticed who was lisoning to her. "What do you want?" After her hiss, she saw him walk into the cell. She gave him a cold glare.

"Just wanted to know what was with that depressing song last night." Zuko told her bordly. Making a flame apper on his finger and playing with it as he awaited an awncer.

"I don't think its any of your damn buisness." She hissed. Strumming the strings as she told him. He knew it wasnt going to work.

"I dont know why you hate me so much. I didnt do anything to you." He hissed right back. Little did he know she had her reasons.

"Yes you did. You killed my family!" She barked at him. Relizing what she had done, she went back to playing. "I mean. Just go away."

"How could I have? I just met you!" He argued, she gave him a cold glare.

"Fire nation, Your a member of the fire nation. Correct?" She glared. He nodded.

"Yeah Im the prince." He told her. That just made her hate him more.

"Your fire nation ruined my life! I had to take care of my sisters all alone at six years old. Because of you I've seen hell!" She hissed at him. She continued to yell at him untill he was out the door of the cell, and then she shut it and began playing her guitar louder. Zuko just got angry and stomped out of the area where the cells were. After she played two more songs, Iroh came down to her cell with a cup of green tea. She thanked him and took the tea. She drank it and set the cup beside her cot. "Your nephew is a basturd." Iroh just laughed.

"Dont be too angry with him. He is just fustraited." Iroh explained. "We've been at sea for two years, trying to find the Avatar."

"He is still an ass." She told him, sipping at her tea. Iroh just laughed.

"I know." He joked as he drank his tea.

"That god damned.." Zuko cursed while he paced the deck. _How could I have killed her family? I didnt know she existed untill I walked into the diner! How the hell could I have...?_ He thought to himself as he paced the deck. Before him stood the middle Wormwart. She just stood there stairing at him. "What do you want?"

"You asked little sister Ashli about what happend when we were little right?" Violet asked. He nodded.

"And your older sister." Zuko told her. A bit angry that he didnt get any information, and now he doesnt know how he could have killed her parents when he didnt even know her. "I didnt learn anything."

"Big sister Hilda doesnt like to talk about it." Violet told him. "She was the only one of us that rememberd what happend. Ashli and I were both really little. I was three and Ashli was two months."

"That would explain why she didnt know much about what happend." Zuko said, nodding to himself about how he could understand. "Do you remember?"

"Alittle. I remember that it was really dark when my sister woke me up. We heard momma scream and Hilda gave Ashli to me and ran down stairs. We heard them running up the stairs after her and then Hilda dragging us to a safe place. We had forgotten to grab Ashli's binki and that was all that would stop her from crying. So, Hilda went back to the house and came back with her binki, a family picture, and two blankets. She was bleeding really bad. She used the blankets to kep the blood inside of her while I got her and Ashli away from the house and to our neibors." Violet told him. Of course it wouldnt be odd if she rememberd so much, it was tramatic. Zuko suddenly felt alittle bad. Not alot, but alittle.

"Why does she hate _me_ though?" Zuko asked Violet, she shrugged.

"Fire Nation." With that, Violet left him to pace again, She walked over to her little sister and practiced her earth bending. Zuko stood there where he was. He thougth about what Violet had told him. He didnt understand why the fire nation would do that though, of course, he was six years old as well, so he probably wouldnt understand alot from back then. He figured there was one person who would know the awncers to his quesitons.

"Uncle." Zuko said approcing his uncle once Iroh had left the cell Hilda was in. "Why did the fire nation attack Hilda's home ten years ago?"

"Hmm...ten years is a long time ago. I think that was when the fire nation would go to certain islands and charge the people who live there. If they were unable to pay, the whole family was killed. Mothers, fathers, and children. Sometimes pets. But times have changed Prince Zuko, they dont do that anymore." Iroh explained.

"Why did they do that?" Zuko asked him. He wanted to know why they would, maybe it would help him understand why she hates him so much.

"I dont know." Iroh told him. A thought passed his mind. "Why are you asking?" Zuko was silent for a second.

"No reason. Just curious." Zuko told him, walking down to the hull.

**

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Freak out by Avril Lavigne**


	5. Scars and Bruises

**Scars and Bruises**

Once Prince Zuko got to the hull, a solider walked to him and told him that his bath was ready. With that, Zuko walked into the empty room where they put a tin barrel over a fire and it would heat up the water, making a hot bath. Zuko stripped down and got into the bath. Soaking, relaxing. Now, I shall take time to explain the layout of this room. It is a rectangle room. With a wall near the frount of the room, which made a small square space for the clothes to go into the wash. A basket lie there with the clothes that the bathers took off and a place where the towels are.

"Miss Hilda." A diffrent solider said to her once he walked into her cell. "Your bath is ready. The bathroom is just down the hall."

"Thank you." With that, she walked down the hall and into the bathroom. She stripped down as well,grabbed a towel, held it infrount of her chest and opend the door that allowed the bather to get in and out of the larger half of the room. At the exact moment she did this, Zuko stood up to get out. There was a silence. Zuko staired at her and she staired at him for a breif while. Zuko saw that on her somach, just above her belly button and under her breasts, she had many bad scars and bruises. Thats what he mostly staired at. She walked backwards through the door, she put her shirt,pants,and underwear back on, stepped out of the room entirly, and screamed. So loud that all the soliders came to her aid and as did Iroh. They asked her what was wrong. "Theres a pervert in the bathroom!"

"Uh oh.." One of the soliders mumbled. "Prince Zuko was taking a bath in there."

"Uh oh.." The soldier who told Hilda she could take a bath repeted. "Im sorry Miss.Hilda."

"Damn strait you are!" She screamed at him. Zuko walked out of the room, dressed. Red as well. He had seen something he had never seen before. A woman's naked body. His face got redder after Hilda gave him 5 hard smacks on the face. "Damn pervert!"

"Who are you calling a pervert?" Zuko yelled right back. "You walked in on me!"

"Yeah well its diffrent when a girl looks at a boy! Pervert! Peeping tom!" Hilda screamed at him. Another five hard smacks and she walked away from him. Flipping him off.

_What were those wounds on her stomach..? _Zuko questioned himself that whole night after the little insadent. Hilda avoided him that whole night. At dinner, she served everyone dinner except Zuko. He scolded her and told her he was hungry. She just gave him a cold glare and said. "Get it yourself." and walked back to the deck where she played her guitar. Zuko would have to find some left over Puttanesca and figure out how to heat it up. The question still remaind in his head. What were those scars? Before his Puttanesca was heated up, he walked to the deck and asked her point blank.

"What were those scars on your stomach?" He asked her.

"Up your's princie." she hissed. Strumming the strings on her guitar as she rehursed. Steam came out of his mouth. "Don't over heat. You'll explode."

"Shut up and tell me already!" He barked at her. She just strummed the strings again. She shook her head.

"Im not gonna tell you." She told him, playing her guitar as if he hadnt ever come to talk. He spit fire off to the side into the ocean. She just laughed at him and continued to play her guitar. She played a random song. "Zuko wont ever know, Wont ever know about the scars,because he is a pervert!"

"Stop that!" He barked at her. She kept singing.

"Pervert! Peeping tom!" She continued to teasingly sing.Zuko threw some fire at her and she dodged it. "peeping tom! Spitting fire like an erupting volcano!"

"Knock it off!" He yelled attacking her again. Throwing fire at her. She just laughed as she dodged all the flames, very gymnasticly, as she dodged it she'd jump, catch herself with her hands on the ground and flip over again. This time however, she flipped over to far and fell off the side of the boat. But Zuko grabbed her hands before she fell too far down.Once he pulled her back onto the ship, she took her hands back.

"Keep your hands to yourself!" She hissed. Zuko spat fire off the side of the deck again.

"Is that any way to treat someone who just saved your life?" Zuko asked her. Bitter. Then, it hit her.

"I get it! You wanted to hold my hand!" She teased. Zuko flushed.

"Did not!" He barked. "Don't flatter yourself!" Hilda just laughed at his embarrisment. Had he really wanted too? He didnt know right off but ah well. "Now. Tell me what those scars were!"

"Not on your life." With that, she left.Walking back to her cell. Zuko just stood there, fustraited. He had learned nothing about those scars. He didnt just want to know because he was an ass. He wanted to know how she got them. He had a scar too, but he didnt try to hide it. That would actually prove to be exidingly difficult, for his scar was on his eye.Her scars were on her stomach. She was half way off the deck before Zuko grabbed her wrist and forced her to stay and tell him. "I told you. Its my own buisness!" Zuko still kept a hard grip on her wrist. Hilda heard Iroh coming up the stairs to the deck. She laughed at Zuko and unbuttoned her blouse. She placed his hand on her boob and held it there, she let out a loud scream. Iroh ran over to her and rose an eyebrow to what Zuko was doing. Or more, where his hand was. Hilda had tears in her eyes as Zuko's hand was still on her boob. "He tried to saduce me! He tried to rip my blouse off and throw it over board." Hilda cried. Zuko was shocked by her words.

"I didnt- Uncle I-" Zuko defended, he twitched his hand a bit, relizing he still had a hold of her boob. But not before Iroh said:

"Then why do you still have a hold of her?" Iroh asked his nephew. Zuko quickly pulled his hand away from Hilda as she wiped the fake tears from her eyes. "Hilda.go into your cell." Hilda nodded and giving him a hard slap, Hilda ran down the stairs after buttoning up her blouse again. Hilda fell asleep that night smiling at herself for her accomplishments. "Prince Zuko."

"Uncle-" but his uncle wouldnt let him finish.

"Prince Zuko. Why did you grab her?" Iroh asked him. Cross.

"I didnt mea-" But again, he was cut off.

"Boy. While there are wemon on this ship you will treat them with respect! You got that?" Iroh hissed at his nephew. Zuko nodded and walked down to his room. _But it wasnt my fault..._

As Zuko lie in his bed, he staired at his hand. He had not only seen a woman's body that night, he had felt her breasts. He had never experianced this before. This was all so new to him. He had been raised by his father and never thought much about how a woman's body looked. But what were those scars?

**

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omg. Damn writer's block. It explodes but not where it is suppost to! So please forgive me if Its a while before the next chapter.**


	6. Lets call it love?

**Lets call it...love?**

He was sleeping, and right in the middle of his good dream where he caught the Avatar and was torturing him, his inner mind kept nagging at him. He sprang up in his bed, coverd in sweat screaming out the words he dread.

"I think I love you!" He looked around, making sure no one was around to have heard his statement. The only person whom heard it was himself. He sighed and lied back down, stairing at the celing. _"I think I love you!" Why did I suddenly scream it? I dont love anyone. Hilda...such a beautiful creature...no! No she isnt! She has those scars! But I have a scar too...god..._ He shook the thought away. He figured he just was hungry. He didnt love Hilda. She was just a captive. She isnt there for him to love. He just went back to sleep. Hoping his mind wouldnt think about it. Maybe if he didnt think about it, it wouldnt be true.

When he woke up in the morning, he had this feeling, that he didnt know how to deal with. So he just decided to himself that he would hide it to himself and never talk about it. He quickly got dressed with Hilda's body in his head. Making him thrash around like a spoilt child in a candy store. But when he walked out he acted as if nothing was wrong. He doesnt know what he is up against, he doesnt know what its all about. Zuko walked into the dining room where Hilda had prepaired some cinnamin rolls and saucages. Zuko's head was in the gutter during breakfast, lets say that. He ate the breakfast silently as he usually does. He figured he better not show this odd feeling in his chest. He didnt know what was with this feeling of sudden greatfulness that he was able to eat this breakfast she had made. Normally, he would just have eatin it because he didnt want to starve. He found it wounderful that she would give up her childhood to take care of her little sisters. He ate his breakfast silently as he considerd all of this. _She probably wouldnt love me anyway._He thought to himself. _I dont know why, but she really seems to hate me. Why do I feel so sad all of a sudden...?_ He just finished his breakfast half way through and said that he wasnt feeling well. So he walked back into his room where he had thrown a tantrum and lied on the bed. Thinking.

Hilda blinked. She didnt know, nor care why he suddenly felt so sick. Ah well. Iroh had told her to give prince Zuko some children's tylonal so that maybe he would feel better. She sighed and agreed. Like anyone else here was going to. Not that she cared. She filled a glass with drinking water and walked into Zuko's room. He was buisy meditating. He hadnt known she had come in. She just left the tylonal beside his bed and walked out. In her head, Songo's theme from Inuyasha was playing in her head. That was the perfect song to discribe how she felt that fateful day that her parents died. She like always, hid her feelings about that subject. Hilda just let the thought stay hidden in her mind as she practiced her earth bending with her sisters.

"Damn it all to hell!" Zuko yelled, the candles' flames exploding into one large flame. Zuko began to pout on his bed. Sorting out all these diluted thoughts he was suddenly having. He figured that it would be best if he said nothing about this. At least, not when anyone is around. They would probably tease him about these feelings. Feelings he had no idea what were. The only thing he could do was act normal. He saw the tylonal beside his bed. Why was it there? Oh yeah. He had told them that he wasn't feeling well. Hilda walked in once he relized it was there, she grinned evily, and showed him the tylonal.

"Take it." She orderd. He shook his head. Acting mad at her. She grew irritated and bent his head back, just enough for it to slide down, she poured the bottel of it into his mouth, which made him gag.

"What the hell was that for!" He yelled between coughs. She grinned triumphantly.

"I got you to take your medicine!" She boastfully told him. Grinning to herself.

"good god! You are dumb as a brick!" He hissed at her. She shot him a glare.

"You stupid Jerk!" She yelled, punching him off the bed.Zuko just got back up and kept insulting her.

"Your built like a stick!" He hissed again. Hilda began to beat the shit out of him with anything she could get her hands on, she gave him a whap with a table that he just barly dodged. She chased him around the ship, grabbing whatever she could to use as a weapon. Her sisters enjoyed watching this. They didnt like the fire nation. But Iroh was quite nice to them. So they were nice back. But Zuko, he wasnt very nice.He never complimented their sister. When he did talk to her he was angry with her or something. They didnt like him too much.

She still chased him all through the ship. Grabbing whatever she could get her hands on and throwing it at him. Smacking, and harming him with it. He mostly seemed to get hit almost every time. When she has her eyes set on something, she will never stop untill she accomplishes it. In this case, her eyes were set on killing Zuko. But Zuko wasnt ready to die. So he just kept running.

"Prince Zuko. Im sure if you just apoligize to her-" But Iroh was interrupted by Zuko.

"I'll never apoligize! She's uncute! Built like a stick! Dumb as a brick!" But that only made Hilda more and more ready to kill him.

"Shut up you Jerk!" She screamed at him as she attacked him some more. Iroh just shook his head.

"Well. I tried." Iroh said to the sisters of Hilda. They nodded. It didnt look like anything was going to get her to stop.

"This will go on for a while. At least, untill they get tired." Violet pointed out to Zuko's uncle.

"Ah well. Want to play Pai-cho with me?" He asked her sisters, they nodded and went to play with Iroh.

Zuko and Hilda had fought for two hours strait, when they grew tired of chasing, they just fought with crule words. Zuko kept saying like he was before. You know, built like a stick, dumb as a brick, ect.. ect.. anyway. Hilda had gotten enough taunting for that day. She flipped him off and stomped away. Very angry. During dinner, Hilda refused to eat again, so she just walked onto the deck and played her guitar.

"I'm an angel, I'm a devil  
I am sometimes in between  
I'm as bad it can get  
And good as it can be  
Sometimes I'm a million colors  
Sometimes I'm black and white  
I am all extremes  
Try figure me out you never can  
There's so many things I am  
I am special  
I am beautiful  
I am wonderful  
I'm powerful  
Unstoppable  
Sometimes I'm miserable  
Sometimes I'm pitiful  
But that's so typical of all the things I am  
I'm someone filled with self-belief  
I'm haunted by self-doubt  
I've got all the answers  
I've got nothing figured out  
I like to be by myself  
I hate to be alone  
I'm up and I am down  
But that's part of the thrill  
Part of the plan  
Part of all of the things I am  
I am special  
I am beautiful  
I am wonderful  
I'm powerful  
Unstoppable  
Sometimes I'm miserable  
Sometimes I'm pitiful  
But that's so typical of all the things I am  
I'm a million contradictions  
Sometimes I make no sense  
Sometimes I'm perfect  
Sometimes I'm a mess  
Sometimes I'm not sure who I am  
I am special  
I am beautiful  
I am wonderful  
And powerful  
Unstoppable  
Sometimes I'm miserable  
Sometimes I'm pitiful  
But that's so typical of all the things I am  
I am special  
I am beautiful  
I am wonderful  
I'm powerful  
Unstoppable  
Sometimes I'm miserable  
Sometimes I'm pitiful  
But that's so typical of all the things I am  
Of all the things I am  
Sometimes I'm miserable  
Sometimes I'm pitiful  
But that's so typical of all the things I am  
Of all the things I am" She sang as she played her guitar. She wasnt being boastful, she just had to sing about herself. She had sung about how there isnt anywhere where she can feel at home, and how Zuko or anyone can't controle her. This time, Zuko wasnt lisoning to her, nor was he going to come up onto the deck and interrupt her.He just walked down to the hull and into his room. Kind of mad. He lied down on his bed and staired up at the celing. He made a bad impression on Hilda today. Of course, he is suppost to act normal, this is how he normally acts around her. He knew that he had to keep his feelings a secret. Not only because of his pride;although that is the main reason; but because he didnt want to be rejected by her, so he knew that he shouldnt say anything or do anything out of the ordinary. Most of their fighting was her fault anyway, she shoved the medicine down his throat. Which made him alittle tired. Soon, he found himself in dream land.

As Hilda trained with her sisters, Relasing her fustraiton out on the coal that they trained with._ Stupid Zuko..make a fool of me..._She hissed in her mind as they trained. The other two sisters grew tired, with a good night to their sister, they walked down to the cell and went to bed on their cots. It has been such a long day for Hilda, but she had to let her anger out, she swore to herself that she would never go to bed angry. If she was to go to bed angry, she slowly stopped her earth bending, growing tired. Falling backwards onto the hard metel deck.

"DAMN IT TO HELL!" Hilda screached. Holding the back of her head, full of pain. She growled to herself and walked down to her cell, which she shared with her sisters. They were fast asleep, Hilda lie awake,where she had fallen still smarted. When she did fall asleep, her dreams were filled with Zuko. Yeah, Zuko being beaten up by her. She smiled in her sleep as she kicked his ass.

**

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omg. I am by Hilary Duff. And like. Yeah.Not much dialoge? ah but so funny.**


	7. Scars surface Feelings supress

**Scars surface Feelings supress**

It was time for breakfast, just as the previous mornings. Hilda had gotten up ahead of everyone else, only able to prepair some rice. Not very much mind you. Once everyone saw the lack of food on the table. They all looked at Hilda.

"Hey dont look at me, stupid here didnt grab supplies." She said, pointing her thumb at Zuko. "The next island that we get to, were stopping to get supplies. Unless no one wants breakfast." with that, everyone began to eat the rice. Agreeing to stop at the next island to get some more supplies for their meals. Once they finished their small portion of breakfast, Zuko asked Iroh what the next island was. Iroh was hesitant.

"The fire nation." Iroh coughed out to his nephew. Basicly, it was the dock that Jhou was on in the southern air temple episode. Zuko unleashed a bit of fire from his fists.

"What!" He exclaimed. There would be a small chance that Jhou was there, but he never jumped to conclusions. Zuko stomped onto the deck and pouted. It was while he pouted that he felt a presents above him. He brought his head up to see Hilda standing on her hands with them on his shoulders, like that time she beat the shit out of him.He didnt make anything of it, he just kept pouting.

"Aww dont throw a fit widdle baby!" Hilda teased. Zuko just kept pouting. Like a spoilt child in a TOY store. Last time it was candy. She just grabbed onto the sleeves of his shirt again and threw him back, he was unable to stop himself, so he just hit the side again, not as hard as before though so he wasnt knocked out. He just pouted untill it was apparent that they were at the island. As they got off the ship. Of course, Jhou was there. He asked them what they were doing back here. Zuko told them they were only here to pick up things to eat. Then they were going to leave again. But he invited them for a drink at that place where they went in The southern air temple episode. Zuko refused, but Iroh told him not to be rude and told Jhou that they would love to. So they went to that place that I mentioned earlyer, and had a cup of tea. Zuko refusing to drink any of it.

"Prince Zuko. Is this your girlfriend?" Zhou teased. Both Zuko and Hilda shouted

"No!" After they shouted they glared at eachother.

"He is a stupid Jackass." Hilda hissed. Zuko glared.

"She's dumb as a brick!" Zuko hissed right back. Hilda glared.

"He's the Jackass who wont get any breakfast." Hilda hissed. That stopped Zuko from hissing back. He was really hungry, because of the light breakfast. Hilda smirked as Jhou changed the subject.

"I never really believed that. I mean, Zuko there is unlovable. Even his own father doesnt love him." Jhou said turning his body from them. with that, a peice of coal or something flung at Jhou's head. None of the sisters or anyone moved. "Who did that?" Jhou hissed as he turned to the unmoving guests. They all shared looks but said nothing. Jhou gave them all dirty looks.

"I did." Hilda admitted. She really hadnt.She stood upto Jhou, Zuko was nodding his head to her for her to sit down and shut up. But she didnt lison to him. Jhou gave her a dirty look. Worse than the one he was giving to everyone else.

"So. You young lady are an earth bender?" Jhou questioned. She nodded.

"Yes. I am." Hilda told him bitterly. Zuko just wanted her to sit back down and keep her mouth shut. But she gave him a look that to everyone else was an annoyed look, telling him to mind his own buisness. But Zuko saw what the real look was. It said: "no one talks to you like that but me." But she didnt say that. Zuko had to supress a grin. Which was alittle difficult.

"Your a hoe." Jhou unfairly taunted. Possably trying to get her angry. That was worse than Zuko's taunts. Also, it really hurt her feelings.

"Ass munch." Hilda hissed. Unable to think of a better excuse. Jhou smirked.

"Is that a challenge?" Jhou asked smugly.

"Is now!" Hilda hissed at him. Jhou just grinned.

"fine! Sundown" and basicly he said that same place Zuko said in that same episode. Gosh. I must like that episode. Everyone left the tent. Hilda aflame I should say. But I wont because she isnt a firebender.

"Hilda you'll get your stupid head blown off!" Zuko hissed at her. She smacked him before he could tell that she was going to hurt him.

"Well I dont give a damn if you think I can do it or not! I know I'll kick that basturds smug ass." Hilda hissed.

"We are suppost to get supplies! I dont want to lose the avatar's trail!" Zuko hissed at her. She smirked.

"You sound like a blood hound.All work and no play makes Zuko a dull boy!" She teased. Zuko pouted again. "For a 16 year old. You sure do throw alot of fits!"

"Shut up! What kind of girl are you anyway? You sure as hell arnt dainty or high mantnance." (sp? probably not. I hate that word..) Zuko hissed at her.

"Well your no knight in shining armor!" Hilda hissed right back. They argued for a good few hours, they saw the sun was starting to set. "well. Im gonna go kick ass now." With that, Hilda and everybody else walked to the place...that...yeah she was suppost to be at. Of course, Jhou was there, dressed as he was in the southern air temple episode. Hilda looked around. "Where is the earth?" What she ment was, where was the earth she could bend.

"There is none." Jhou told her, smug. Hilda just grinned.

"Fine. Although I am an earth bender, I can still kick your ass without the earth." She boasted. The battel began and Jhou threw some fire at her, she just barly was able to avaid it. She just could dodge for the time being. Everything around her was made of metel. Not earth, or bricks. She didnt know what else she could do but dodge for the time being.Then, a thought came to her, she suddenly stopped moving as Jhou attacked her.

"What the hell are you doing!" Zuko shouted at her. She cleared her throat.

"Something just isn't right  
I can feel it inside  
The truth isn't far behind me  
You can't deny" She sang this part. Making everyone suprised. How could she be singing at a time like this? Jhou found an opening and as he shot a flame at her, she dodged it with ease, still singing. "When I turn the lights out  
When I close my eyes  
Reality overcomes me  
I'm living a lie" This pretty much kept up as the fight went on,Her singing and dancing to avaid his attacks. but Jhou had burnt her blouse where her scars where, making her yelp out in pain.The burn had hurt her scars and made her eyes well up with painful tears.Zuko had to be held back by his uncle or he would have interfeired in the fight.

"But hes hurting her!" Zuko hissed. Iroh still held him back.

"Prince Zuko. Don't interfeir." Iroh orderd him, forcing him back.

"But Uncle-" Zuko protested. Zuko kept fighting untill he was out of his uncle's grip and on the feild, infrount of Hilda. Her eyes filled with painful tears yadda yadda yadda. "Commander Jhou, I wont let her get hurt by a dumbass like you." Zuko hissed. Jhou smirked.

"Okay then Prince Zuko. Do you wish to fight me?" Jhou asked the exiled prince. Zuko shook his head.

"I am in no mood." He hasnt been in the mood for a long time. Ever sence he started having these feelings about Hilda. He never felt like the old Zuko did. But he would hide it with taunts and fights with Hilda. Once the pain was gone from her wounds, Hilda stood back up and wiped out the pain tears and pushed Zuko out of the way.

"This is my fight damn it!" Hilda hissed at him. Zuko became false angry again.

"Fine! Let yourself get your stupid head blown off!" Zuko barked at her. Hilda glared at him.

"Wanna go right now princie!" Hilda hissed, getting into fighting position. Jhou waved his hand at them.

"Um. Your fighting me." He told her, pointing to himself. Hilda sweatdropped.

"Oh yeah." Hilda responded, walking to Jhou. "Lets continue!" With that, the fight resumed, Hilda doing much better this time. She was able to easily avaid the attacks he gave her. Then, she did what no other person had done. Not even the strongest fire bender did. She grabbed Jhou's arms and lifted him over her head. Everyone gasped. Jhou was at least 10 times her weight. But she was able to easily lift him over her head and throw him across the areana. The younger sisters of Hilda ran to her and hugged her.

"Big sister Hilda held that guy over her head!" They cheered, grabbing their sister's hands and jumping. Zuko would have admitted. Even he couldnt lift Jhou over his head and throw him with such streanth. They all walked back to the ship. That little scene played itself over and over in Hilda's head._"Commander Jhou, I wont let her get hurt by a dumbass like you." What did that Jerk mean by that? ah well. Probably nothing._ It was when they were halfway onto the ship, that Hilda snapped her fingers, as if saying "Oh yeah!" When she snaped her fingers, everyone looked at her.

"we forgot what we came here for!" Everyone sweatdropped and headed into the town to gather supplies. Once that was accomplished, they all returned to the ship in time for her to make Pasta Puttanesca. Which Zuko and the others ate happily. Of course, Hilda skipped out on dinner again to go to the deck. Zuko took notice of this. He finished his dinner before everyone else and claimed to be going to his room. Sence there was only two doors to the dining room, one was the kitchen, the other was the way to the many halls, he just happend to take the hall that lead him onto deck, where Hilda was. This is where he found Hilda stairing over the deck. Zuko approched her cautiously.

"Find the Avatar?" Zuko asked jokingly. Actually kind of serious. Hilda jumped back and told him to never sneak up on her like that again. "Okay okay. So. C'mon, tell me what gave you those scars."

"I will. If you tell me how you got yours." Hilda said to him. He was silent for a bit, then nodded. "You go first."

"Okay. Well. My father gave it to me. I refused to fight him and I got a scar and exiled." Zuko told her. Smugly grinning. He wanted to grin without it being smug but he couldnt. "Now you."

"I was stabbed." With that, there was a silence. "Fourteen times." Still, a long silence.

"By who?" Zuko asked her. She was silent.

"Firenation. When they killed my mother, they saw me looking at them, I got my sisters out without harm, but I went back for a binkie, two blankets, and a picture of our late family. Thats why I hate the fire nation so much. They gave me these purminite scars and bruises, and they killed my parents when I was really little." She told him, but she didnt look like she was going to cry. She just bottled it up again.

"Why don't I ever see you crying over it?" Zuko asked. She inched away from him a bit.

"One. I wont ever let you of all people see the tears I cry. Two, because my sisters depend on me to be strong, so I can't show weakness." She told him, starting to walk off from the deck. But he almost stopped her from leaving. But she got away too fast. _She got hurt very bad because of the fire nation..._ Zuko thought as he staired out over the deck. He heard his uncle come up behind him.

"I thought you went to your room prince Zuko." Iroh told him. Zuko thought of the first lie that came to his head.

"I changed my mind." Zuko told him. Iroh noticed something about his nephew.

"You feel guilty about something." Iroh told him, Zuko shook his head.

"No I don't." Zuko lied again. Iroh saw through that one though.

"Yes you do. When you feel guilty, you get that look in your good eye. Uncle's intewishion." (sp?) Zuko just shook his head.

"I dont!" He shouted, stomping off to his room.

**

* * *

Together-Avril Lavigne.**


	8. Decisions Love or home?

**Decisions. Love or home?**

Morning came as it did every day. Except this time, it was diffrent. Breakfast wasnt sitting on the table for everyone to eat. Instantly, both Zuko and Iroh knew something was wrong with Hilda. But when her sisters walked in, they sat at the table and told them the news.

"Big sister Hilda isnt feeling well today. She says something about a stomach pain. We asked her if it was from the burn on her scars and she told us it wasnt." Ashli told them. Violet sitting beside of the youngest Wormwart orphan. Instantly, Zuko and Iroh walked to Hilda's room to check up on her. She was still sleeping on her cot, in her Jacket of course.Zuko wanted to do something, he really did, but then everyone would find out his feelings for her and taunt him over it.

"Prince Zuko, you stay here with her. Girls. Lets go get Hilda some blankets and soup." With that, they all left except Zuko. Once they wernt in the cell area anymore, Zuko walked over to Hilda and placed his hand on her forehead. It was really warm.

"I think you just have a cold. Luckly, your not throwing up.At least, not now." Zuko said to her as if she was actually awake. He saw a small smile appear on her face.

"good." Hilda whisperd to him. He quickly took his hand off and hid it behind his back. "I wont make a big deal out of It Zuko...you can pretend to care."

"Okay." Zuko told her, releaved that he could take care of her and just tell everyone that he was pretending. "What do we tell anyone who asks?"

"I'll tell them that I forced you. That way. They wont tease you." Hilda told him smiling a bit.

"Okay" He told her, forcing back a smile. "You hungry?"

"Yes..so very." She told him holding her stomach. "I skipped dinner alot."

"I know you did. Uncle is bringing you some soup and some blankets." Zuko told her. Standing beside her bed. Actually, leaning on the wall.

Once Iroh came back with the blankets, he threw them over Hilda and had her sisters set the soup on the end table beside her cot.Zuko acted like he was just standing there and Hilda acted like she was asleep. Iroh said for all of them to just leave Hilda alone, so she can get rest. Zuko was the last one out, as he left, Hilda, in her fake sleep, gave him a smile. He lightly smiled back and walked out, instantly hiding his moment of smiling. Without it being smug. He walked up on deck and kept searching for the avatar.

Hilda's nap lasted a few hours. When she woke, pretty much everyone could hear her strumming the strings on her guitar. They could barly figure out the words, but they were very clear.

"I'm sure that the heart I left behind

still lies hidden in the heart of the deep, deep forest.

Exhausted, without the strength to search

people vanish into the infinite darkness.

If it's so small, I wonder if I can see it even now?

As we live on, we lose a little bit more. Shrouded in falsehoods and lies, we stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out

The days pass by and change,

without us even realizing how blue the sky really is.

Overcoming that made-up scheme, we live the present,

and our rusted hearts begin to beat again!

If we can find the rhythm of time, we can fly once again

We live our lives

wandering to the ends of the earth.

Believing (in you?), now I begin my journey with you,

in search of the light.

We live our lives

wandering to the ends of the earth.

Closing off

the way back,

we walk on for eternity." Hilda sang as she strummed the strings on her guitar. Zuko enjoyed standing near the hull where her window faced the ocean and lisoning to her music through her window, but looking like he was looking for the Avatar. Hilda's sisters were buisy playing with uncle Iroh and practicing their earth bending. Leaving Zuko able to lison to their sister sing while pretending to act normal. It was because he didnt know how to deal with love, that he pretended as if nothing was wrong. Or should I say... diffrent about himself? When the song ended he really did start looking for the Avatar. He spotted Appa in the sky.

"The Avatar!" Zuko exclaimed. His soldiers did as they usually do when they find the avatar. They readyed that catapult thingie and aimed for Appa. But as they were ready to shoot, Hilda; whom had heard him yell that the Avatar was there; ran to Zuko and told him not to fire anything at Appa. "Why the hell not?"

"Aang is my friend you Jackass!" But it was too late, as they argued, the catapult fired a flaming ball at Appa. Causing the flying bison to crash onto the ship. Though still alive, a bit wouned. Aang, Sokka, and Katara hid behind the bison but found by Zuko.

"Take them to a cell. Put them in individual ones so they can't form a group plan." Zuko orderd. Hilda fighting with him to not do that to her friend. But it was too late. The soldiers took Aang, Katara, and Sokka to the cells, unsure of where to put Appa, they left him on deck. Momo stayed with Hilda. Hilda walked to the cells and apoligized to them.

"Im sorry..I tried to stop that Jackass but.." Hilda told them, holding onto Momo.

"Hilda. It wasnt your fault. Is Appa okay?" Aang asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah. He'll be okay. I'll take care of him Aang. Dont worry." Hilda told him, coughing. Her cold seemed to be getting worse rather than better. But it was nothing deadly. After a bit more talking with Aang and the others, Hilda walked onto deck and gave Zuko the cold shoulder. Taking care of Appa and Momo.

And of course, this botherd Zuko that she was giving him the cold shoulder. When he tried to piss her off. She just let it slide and didnt respond, it was as if he wasnt even talking to her.

"What the hell are you angry with me for?" Zuko hissed at her. She didnt reply. "Silent treatment huh? Your dumb as a brick, built like a stick, talk like a hick." But alas, his taunting did nothing to provoke her. She was still silent to him, when Iroh came around, she talked to him.

"Iroh, please tell this annoying voice from nowhere to leave me the hell alone." She told Iroh, talking to Zuko through him.

"Um. Prince Zuko-" Iroh began but Zuko interrupted.

"I heard her." Zuko hissed. "Well..." But he couldnt think of an excuse.

"And tell the voice from nowhere that if it wants to talk to me again, it will have to let Aang, Sokka, and Katara go." Hilda told Iroh, he nearly repeted it to Prince Zuko, but Zuko heard her.

"How can I let him go! He is the avatar! My ticket home!" Zuko protested. Hilda didnt talk to Zuko, but through Iroh.

"Tell the Jackass who keeps talking to me to either let the Avatar go, or keep enduring the silent treatment." Hilda told Iroh, again, Iroh almost repeted it to Zuko.

"I heard her!" Zuko hissed. Hilda wasnt even facing Zuko.

"Tell this voice that he has to choose." She told Iroh. He didnt even have to tell Prince Zuko. Zuko was already trying to figure out which one he should choose. His ticket home? Or the girl he loves? Zuko decided to go meditate for a while. While he meditated, he looked apon the two sides of the problem._If I choose Hilda. I can't go home. But, being around Hilda is almost like I am home.She is such a good person, and even though we fight, I still love her. If I do choose the Avatar, Then I can go home, but I get ignored by Hilda..god why can't I ever have both? If I choose Hilda though, everyone will know I love her._ But his thoughts were interrupted by Hilda walking into his room and sitting on his mattrace.

"Don't think im breaking the silent treatment with this, but which are you choosing? are you going to let the Avatar go and break the silent treatment? Or are you going to keep him, but lose me?" Hilda asked him. Zuko had to admit it.

"I don't know. If I choose you, I can't go home. But then again, If I dont choose you, I get the silent treatment. So either way. I lose." Zuko told her, pouting.

"I don't know which you will choose, but remember this, If you do get to go home because of Aang, that doesnt mean anyone wants you back." Hilda told him, walking out of his room and into the cells where Aang, Katara and Sokka were. Momo was with Violet and Ashli. It was late at night when Zuko finally made his decision. Hilda was asleep, as was everyone else. Zuko walked to the cells and opend the three cells. Warning them to not speak a word of this. They all three agreed. Once Aang got momo back from Hilda's cell, they got on Appa, whom now was okay, and flew away silently. So that no one would know that they were set free._ Hilda had a point.._Zuko thought to himself as he walked back to his room. _Even if I did bring my father the Avatar..he wouldnt really want me back._

It was morning before anyone knew that the Avatar had been set free. Iroh asked Zuko where the avatar was. Zuko acted as if he was really mad.

"Hilda!" Zuko hissed, he gave her a secret look saying 'take the blame' "Did you let the Avatar out!" Hilda saw that he had chosen her instead of home.

"Okay, you caught me. I did." Hilda told him smugly. "I figured you wernt going to, so I did."

"How could you-?" Zuko hissed. Hilda glared at him.

"Aang is my friend!" With that, Hilda left him standing there. He was in the clear, he had let Aang go without being a traiter. He also got the girl he loved to talk to him agian. It was obvious what he chose...

Love.

**

* * *

Deep forest--Inuyasha**


	9. Lost

**Lost...**

Graduly, Hilda got better. Everyone still believed that Hilda had let the Avatar out, though no one was angry with her.They just went on with buisness as usual. It was one morning, about an hour after breakfast, which consisted of eggs, toast, and bacon, that a group of soldiers came onto Zuko's ship. Showing him three wanted posters.

"These three girls have been charged with theift. If you see them conta-" But the solider couldnt even finish saying it before he spotted Hilda training with her sisters. "Those girls!" with that, this soldier's army ran down to Hilda, Violet, and Ashli. Once they were surrounded, the girls put their backs together. On guard. Hilda protected her sisters. Above them, the avatar flew. He saw that the Wormwart orphans were introuble, to Aang, against Sokka and Katara's protests, flew closer to the ship to that the siblings could get on. Hilda got Violet and Ashli onto Appa first, but as she got on herself, the army pulled her back down.

"GO!" Hilda hissed at Aang, Aang could do nothing but obey. Ashli and Violet wanted to go back down and help their sister. But Sokka and Katara wouldnt let them.

"Dont worry. Hilda will be okay.." Katara assured them, not to positive herself. _I hope_.

On the ship, Zuko fought with Hilda. As a better way to say it, he helped her fight off the guards that were trying to arrest her. Iroh did as well. They were quite outnumberd, but the army was out witted. Hilda was such a good earth bender. The best Zuko had ever seen. She either practiced every single day of her life. Or something else. But Zuko didnt think about that now, it was defintitly not the time. He would guard her when they shot fire at her. He wasnt about to let anything hurt her. Three great benders, Zuko and Iroh fire, Hilda earth.

"Isnt there some fine I can pay?" Zuko asked them, he didnt want to get Hilda hurt or arrested.

"No, This girl has been wanted for a long time now. We have to arrest her!" The soldier hissed. Zuko just kept protecting Hilda, no matter how many times she told him she didnt need to be protected.

* * *

The young wormwart orphans cried on Katara and Sokka. They both stroked the red hair of the orphans. I guess this really isnt the best time to describe their hair but ah well.

"Don't worry. Hilda is a strong girl.She'll be fine." Sokka said to them trying to keep them from feeling worse. But they just cried more.

"We broke our promise to momma.." Ashli cried. Ashli cried on Sokka as Violet on Katara. Sokka and Katara exchanged looks.

"What promise?" Katara asked them. They managed to cry out the promise.

"Momma...she said that she knew we would take care of eachother with love and self-lessness as we always have, but we let our big sister be hurt.." Violet told them, wiping away the tears she cried.

"Looks like you actually kept your promise." Aang pointed out. "Hilda put you on Appa so that you wouldnt get hurt. Its okay you know. If you would have stayed down their, Hilda would probably feel really guilty if you got hurt."

"Good point Aang. Like Sokka said,She is strong, She knows what she is doing." Katara said to them. Hardly comferting at all but it still helped a bit. All the sisters were able to do was watch as the ship that their eldest sister had stayed to fight on. They still felt terrible for abandoning her, but everyone on Appa assured them that she would be okay.

* * *

"Basics Zuko!" Iroh would snap when Zuko was heading into a mess up.Iroh himself was buisy kicking army ass. Hilda, she used her excellent earthbending techniques to their best abilities. She often got attacked from behind, but it was very easy to deflect their attacks with the coal. But, everytime she shot some coal at a group of soldiers, it would go overboard. That kind of buged Zuko that he was losing so much coal, so he did his best to protect her and make her not have to earth bend.She often did that one attack where she grabs the soldier's shirt and throws them over her head and into the sea. Yet, the number of soldiers never decreased. They just kept coming. The two firebenders and one earthbender began to get tired. Hilda was next to Zuko when she whisperd to him.

"Just let them take me." Hilda whisperd to him. He shook his head.

"No." He whisperd back. Hilda punched his arm.

"You dumbass. I'll be fine." Hilda told him, he wanted to protest, but Hilda had already given herself upto them. It was that time that Zuko tried to nagotiate wtih them. But he couldnt do anything.

"Zuko. When the girls come back. You take care of them." Hilda told him, Zuko froze.

"M-Me?" He asked. She nodded. Zuko kept trying his hardest to get the soldier to let her go. But alas, he would not.

"She won't be killed." The soldier told him. "Just married off." Hilda sighed.

"Can't I just be killed?" Hilda asked the soldier as he pushed her onto his ship. Once on, Zuko tried to follow her, but it was useless. She was gone. He felt like he was about to cry.He had lost her. He didnt want to lose her, he wanted to fight for her. The ship sailed away from his as he stood there, frozen in his tracks. Trying to hold back the tears that came to his eyes. What would he tell Violet and Ashli? It wasnt like they were small babies that wouldnt know if she was here or not. What would he say? "I let your sister be taken by the soldier to be married off in order to pay back what was stolen?" no, he couldnt say that. "She is going to go work off the pay?" No not that either. Nothing that he thought of telling them sounded good. He wished he was stronger, that he had tried harder.

"Prince Zuko, you did the best you could." Iroh told him, Zuko just shunned his comfert and retreated to his room. Where he would meditate and beat himself up over how stupid he was. Now though, he locked the door so that no one could come in. He lied on his bed and thats where he let the silent tears fall from his eyes. There really wasn't anything he could do. As much as he wanted, he wanted to do more, he wanted to follow that god forsaken ship and find Hilda. The girl he loves. But he didnt have any coal to get his ship moving any faster.

_How...could I lose her?_ Zuko thought to himself bitterly. _I fought to keep her with me. But I lost her...How could this happen? How could god do this to me? All I want is Hilda. I gave up my home for her. Why why why?_ Zuko kept yelling at himself in his head. When he calmed down a bit, not alot but enough to go up onto the deck. He saw Hilda's sisters. They were looking for their sister, They spotted Zuko and ran to him, asking where Hilda was. Zuko was silent.

"She...isnt..." Violet choked. Zuko kept silent. He couldnt tell them what happend. It killed him just to think about it. Let alone re-tell the story to her little sisters. He couldnt even tell them that he was suppost to take care of them, while Hilda is gone and if she never comes back.Zuko saw tears well up in the young siblings' eyes. Zuko himself choked a bit. He felt like he couldnt breath. He hated this feeling of weakness and helplessness.


	10. The Burning Of Candles

**The burning of candles**

Hilda had been blind folded once on the ship. She was lead through alot of halls and through many doors. All the while thinking. She had done what was for the best, she couldnt keep fighting. There were too many soldiers to keep fighting. She knew that she had to leave Zuko for him to be alright. She acknowledged that Zuko would take care of her little sisters. Even though he annoyed her, she knew that he was actually a nice person. She was pushed into a room and to the bed, which she fell onto. She took off her blind fold and looked around. A fancy room with a huge fluffy bed, The room was painted a gold color with lots of red furns. Hilda lie on the bed and staired at the celing. This was a good time to sort out all that was in her head. The first thought that came to her head, Zuko. She knew that he would find her, he would bring her back to the ship. She felt so helpless. Like, a new born kitten without its eyes even open yet thrown against a wall. She now, just wanted to yell at Zuko. Not because she was angry. But because if she was yelling at Zuko, she was back with him. Back with her sisters and Zuko's uncle. Back to everyone she knows and cares about. It was all because she had to survive on the streets that she is here. She knew she had to take her punishment. Marrage to someone she doesnt even know. It broke her heart to think about it. This was the first time that she cried. She was always so strong. She always looked on the bright side, but this had no bright side to look at. She felt the tears roll down her cheek. She curled up on the bed and cried. She sat back up and placed her hands together. To pray for help. _Zuko...please find me. Please. I don't know what to do. Im so scared Zuko. I want you to help me. Please._ She pleaded. She felt a choke come to her throat. _Hurry Zuko. Before Im married off._ Her prayer leangerd in her head as she staired up at the red celing of the ship. She couldnt feel the waves cradle the ship like she could on Zuko's ship. Even though she hated him with all her heart, she still missed him. She still missed thier arguments and thier understnading moments. Which were rare. She missed the fights and the taunts, everything that they went through. Hilda wanted nothing more but to have Zuko burst through the doors to save her. She felt so weak and afraid. She had never felt this before.

"Today, because it started to rain,

breaking my promise, I was at home, mmm.

Sorry, it's not that I hate you.

I don't know why I wanted to do that.

I tried decorating with a single blossom,

which a tear-like drop quietly trickled down.

I'm glad I'm not a red poppy;

I don't feel like blooming innocently.

That insignificant flower is like me.

Silently, I pray alone.You know, when we join both hands, it's selfish to think of God, mmm.

But, he should explain to me at least the reason for this misery.If I were reborn as a flower,

I'd prefer canary yellow petals.Being a red poppy up on the hill,I'd gaze at the wind and chat.

Leaving my sigh that day to the stars,like a child,

I want to bloom.I'm glad I'm not a red poppy;

I don't feel like blooming innocently. That insignificant flower is like me. Silently, I pray alone." Hilda sang to herself. As I probably mentioned before, that always made her feel better during times of crisis. Although it hardly helped at all.

* * *

Violet and Ashli got an explination from Iroh. Zuko, he couldnt take knowing he wont be able to enjoy any more of Hilda's woundeful food. He wont be able to see her woundeful face smiling with her sisters and glaring at him. Even the words they said were precious to him. He snuck off to her cell and staired at all her belongings. Her guitar stayed proped up against the wall. He could still hear the strumming of the strings in his head. He could hear her voice singing. He wished he could just get her back. He didnt care if she would be angry with him for something he didnt do, he knew he was falling behind the other ship. He hated himself for losing her. When Violet and Ashli approched Zuko, they had tears in their eyes. Zuko could tell they were hurt, So he bent down to them and they dove into hug him. They were hurting just about as much as Zuko was. They had never trusted Zuko enough to hug him. But Iroh had told them what Hilda had told Zuko. That he would be their new care taker untill she returned. That is, if she returned. That "If" Stabbed Zuko's heart. If...that doesnt mean that she will definitly.All three of them, Violet, Zuko, and Ashli all choked on the "If" word. Who knew that two little letters could hurt someone so badly. Even Iroh could understand Zuko's niceness to the little girls. They felt alone. Their parents had died and now their big sister was taken away. It felt to them like no one was ever going to take care of them. Zuko gave them light assurance that they would be okay. He told them that Hilda was going to be okay as well. But he himself wasnt sure. He too, needed assurance.

"Why does everyone say that?" Violet hissed, backing away from Zuko and Ashli. "Everyone says she will be fine! That she is strong and can take care of herself! Look what happend! She can't take care of herself! You dumbass!" Violet ran into the cell and locked the door. Leaving Zuko and Ashli outside to hear her cries. Zuko just sat beside the cell. She could hear him talking if he spoke loud enough.

"Violet..she really is strong. She'll be okay. She is an excellent earth bender-" But he was interruped by the youngest, grabbing onto his hand. Tears streaming from her eyes. Zuko sighed in fustraiton, was this what Hilda had to deal with for ten years? Her sisters crying. Having to hold it all in herself so that her sisters could be happy. Zuko wiped the youngest's tears from her eyes and tried to comfert both sisters at the same time. Both in diffrent rooms. One was quiet, and one was angry. This was all so hard for Zuko. How could he make sure that both sisters were okay when one locked herself in the cell and refused to come out. He did the only way he knew how. "Fine Violet. Stay in there." With that, he took Ashli to the deck and tried his best to comfert one of the siblings. Unsure of what he did to Violet was correct. But that is what he did. Ashli was silent. She was the quiet, obeying sister. But oh if they could only tell what was in this little girl's head.

"Prince Zuko." A soldier said, running to Zuko.

"Yes?" Zuko awncerd, having Ashli stand beside him.

"we lost sight of the ship." The soldier told him. A bit ashamed that he had lost the ship that Zuko had told him to keep track of. "Its going too fast for us to keep up." Before Zuko could say anything, he glanced down at Ashli, whom was standing thier silently. He could tell that the words that the soldier said had stabbed Ashli in the heart.

"Okay." Zuko said bitterly. "Keep looking for it." Ashli began to walk away from Zuko. She kept her head hung low. Zuko saw how sad she was, he decided to follow the youngest. "Ashli.."

"Why Prince Zuko?" Ashli asked. Zuko was silent. "Why did you let her go?"

"I didn't- They wouldn't-" But Ashli was already crying.

"She's gone and is never going to come back. At least, now I know what happend to someone I care about. Mom and Dad died when I was too little to remember. " Ashli told him. Walking down to her sister's cell and knocking on it. Violet allowed her in but closed and locked the cell before Zuko could follow her. The sisters cried together. Zuko didnt know what else to do. This was all so new to him. He just walked onto the deck. Being met by his uncle half way up.

"Prince Zuko. What are you going to do? It looks like both of Hilda's little sisters have rejected you for the time being." Iroh said to him. Zuko was silent.

"Hell if I know." Zuko mumbled. He really had no idea what he should do. They don't know where that ship is, he doesnt know what to do about Hilda's little sisters, and he didnt know what to do period.

"You have to do something. Those little girls have been through alot." Iroh said to Zuko. He staired out over the ship tword the horizon. The sun was about to set. This all happend within the day. Three people had gotten their hearts broken all in one day. A great majority of the day was spent fighting. Iroh had left Zuko there to linger in his own thoughts.

**

* * *

Red Poppie---Ranma 1/2**


	11. Untitled

**Untitled**

The sun was gone. Even it had given up on Hilda. She lied down on the large bed and eventually found herself sleeping. She heard her inner voice crying out for help. Help, That was what was needed.As soon as they would get to that island, she would be married off to some stranger. Who was probably a sex pervert. She ran images through what he would probably look like through her head. She pictured probably young. About her age. Or Maybe he is some old lech that would get her pregnant and then die of old age. That is creepy to think about. Hilda shudderd and cried out for Zuko to find her. She thrashed around the giant gold and red room untill she grabbed a drawr of the end table which had a red furn on it, which eventually was on the floor. She found in the drawr that there was some paper and pencils. Her face lit up as she grabbed alot of the paper and began to write out a letter to Zuko, Iroh, Violet, and Ashli. There was no possable way that she could write out everything she was thinking. How much she missed them. But she sure as hell tried. Now was the next task. Getting it deliverd to them.Hilda stapled the papers together and slipped out of the room. Woundering the halls of the ship, she aimlessly turned corners, looking for someone to give her papers to Zuko, Iroh ect. ect. She turned another corner and saw a soldier. He looked nice.

"Sir" Hilda began. He gave her a light smile.

"Yes?"

"Please. Could you deliver these to Prince Zuko's ship?" She asked, holding out the papers to him. He nodded and took them.

"My pleasure ma'am." With that, the soldier left Hilda there to find her way back to the room, while he himself made the delivery. He walked down to the tiny only one person limit boats and sailed away from the ship very fast. He would obviously be able to catch back up with the ship he was at with the motar on the boat.

* * *

It was dinner time. They had rice. A soldier off of Prince Zuko's ship called the prince onto deck. Zuko walked onto the deck and asked what the soldier wanted. He handed Zuko a stack of papers from Hilda. Zuko ran back down to the dining room and told Iroh and the sisters that Hilda had sent them a long letter. They all gatherd around Zuko as he showed them. Iroh read it aloud to them.

"Dear Prince Zuko, Iroh, Violet and Ashli,

It is truly hell here, I really miss being with you all. I trust Zuko is taking care of my sisters as I instructed him too. Who ever owns this ship has a shitty color scheme. Red and gold, God these furns are everywhere. Anyway, I don't know who I am going to marry. Nor do I care. It has taken my leaving you all to relize how much I miss you. Yes, in case it matters. I even miss Zuko a bit. It is really lonly here. I want to go back to your ship. This one has an eerie quieteness.It eases my mind a bit to think that Zuko has taken good care of my siblings so far. I am not sure you all will be able to respond to this, but every chance I get, I will write down everything that happends on this ship to keep you all updated. I hope someone on your ship will be able to help me. I hate this being so helpless. Just know that I am going to try my best to get through this. Please, no one forget me on your ship. I shall continue to try and find a way to escape and find a way back to you all.

Love,

Hilda."

There was a silence once Iroh had finished reading it. Zuko was quiet, Violet and Ashli were quiet. It had felt like forever sence they heard from Hilda. They all missed her so dearly. No one spoke the rest of that night. Zuko held himself up in his room after dinner was over. He missed having Hilda there to scream at him. He lied on his bed and nearly fell asleep when he heard a knock on his door. He sighed and got up to awncer it. When he did, that soldier who gave them the note stood before him with an envalope in hand.

"Miss Hilda said to give this one to you when you arnt with everyone else." The soldier told him, handing him the envalope.

"Okay. Thank you." With that, he shut the door and locked it. He sat on his bed and opend the envalope, unfolding the peice of paper that had the writings of Hilda on it. _Dear Zuko_ He read in his mind. _I asked that this letter be given to you secretly, for I must say in this letter what I could not say if my sisters were to hear it. Basicly. Im scared. Im worried I wont see you or anyone else again. Truly, I just want to go back to you. I hate this ship and I hate everyone on it. It makes me hate you less and less. That letter before, that was just something I wrote for Violet and Ashli so that they will think that I'll be alright. I truly don't know if I will be alright. All I guess I can do is wait. I just hope that you find me soon. I hate this ship to no end. I can't feel the waves move it like I can on yours. So its eerily quiet.I know that being strong for my sisters must be hard when you probably feel bad. I don't know if you do, but If you do. Just remember that I am trying my best to get out of here. Try and think that I am okay. Not only for my sisters, but incase you miss me at all. I miss you. Love Hilda._ Once the letter ended. Zuko just staired at the print for a while. This all just made him want to find her twice as much. He found a place he could hide her letter so her sisters wont find it, but where he could. He walked back over to his bed and lied back down. He didnt want anyone to come talk to him, he just wanted to be alone. All alone untill he could find Hilda. But she had intrusted her sisters in him, so he had to try and fake like he isnt going to cry. He just missed her so much. He heard another knock and sighed, he still lie on his bed trying to stop the flowing tears. "Just a minute." He called out to the person in normal tone. He pushed himself from the bed with his hands and walked to the door, he wiped away some more and opend it. His uncle stood there.

"Prince Zuko, arnt you hungry? You didnt eat dinner." His uncle said to him. Zuko shook his head, trying his best not to choke.

"Im not hungry." Zuko mumbled to him, ready to go back into his room. He really didnt want to be botherd. Iroh sighed.

"Why not come play Pai-cho with the girls and I?" Iroh asked. He wanted to get Zuko out of his room. Zuko shook his head.

"Im going to bed. Good night." With that, he shut his door and readied for bed, lieing himself on the mattrace, he pulled the blankets over his shoulders. He hoped that this all was just a bad dream, but it wasnt. The pain in his heart from losing her was enough to tell him he wasnt dreaming. All he wanted was to wake up and find that it really was just a nightmare and that Hilda was still with him, but it wasnt and thats what drove him near insanity. He was impatiant and would do anything to get her back. But all he could do was keep hoping, although right now he was alittle low on hope.

**

* * *

oh my god. Damn it all! But thanks to an episode of AVATAR today. I shant be putting this on hold for a while. I got a creativity boost in the right fanfiction I have great things in stor you all!**


	12. Paradise

**Paradise**

Once apon a month gone by, she saw herself give in, everytime she closed her eyes, she saw what could happen, and nothing hurts and nothing bleeds when her covers are tucked in tight, and she forgets to fight. _Its one more day in paradise..._She would think to herself as she tried to fill her head with faith. Darkness quickly steals the light that once shined in her eyes, she tries to sooth her head with lies. The sun slowly takes her artifical light, Her light. Her heart is heavy with fear. She hears of the king she is going to marry. She can't stand what will become of her. She wants to go back to the ship, which she had made a home. She found a heart in there and can call the people on that ship her family. The people who would fight for her life. They fought for nothing at all. She wishes she could just die. She would rather die than be married to someone she doesnt know. Someone who never fought for her, who would never see the scars. Who wouldnt understand. She kept it all bottled in for years before this moment. She thrashed around the room. She would find whatever she could, to make herself bleed. To know that she is still alive. When she would find things to hurt herself with, they wouldnt hurt at all. Just a movement of glass from a vanity across her flesh and dark red liquid came seeping out of the wound. No pain. She sometimes wounderd if she broke a nerve. Like she wouldnt feeling anything that happend to her. But the pain in her heart was so great that it coverd up the physical pain. She would allow her blood to flow so much that the gold floor wasnt gold. It was a dark red. She wouldnt come out for dinner, nor breakfast or lunch. She wouldnt eat from anyone. She wouldnt eat with anyone else but Iroh, Zuko, and her sisters. They were her family that had been taken from her. She had many cuts on her body. Other than the scars on her stomach. She had many cuts that would eventually heal if Hilda stops putting more over them. She kept the curtains closed so that she wouldnt see the sun, nor would it touch her body. She kept her mind closed. There was no way to make this ship her home. It just wasnt possable. She kept her eyes open as much as possable. She would cry so much. Her flawless complection had been filled in with cuts and dried blood. She lost all faith. She was going to die here. One way or another. She wasnt going to marry someone she didnt love. Someone she cared not for. If she had to commit suicide, that is what would happen. She knows that Zuko and everyone would miss her if she was to die here. But she had no choice at all. Her voice had gone hoarse from the loud screaming she did. She was tormented here. She felt like a caged bird. Wanting so despritly to get out of this cage and fly back to the ones who love her. But alas. This boat was gas powerd. No coal at all.

"Miss Hilda." A soldier came to her one day of her torment. Hilda gave him a cold glare.

"what do you want?" She hissed. The soldier took her arm.

"Were landing on the island where King Tomo awaits the arrival of his new bride." The soldier told her, yanking her up from the floor and off the ship.

They got her off the ship and walked her through the town to a giant gold and red palace. Where she was greeted by the king which she was to wed. He looked a few years older than her. Probably like...19 or 20. She knew that she was probably going to have to marry a sex obsessed old leech. Oh how right she was! He put his arm around her and many times tried to grab her boob. She would smack his hand and elbow him in the gut. But he would dodge the elbow after the first time. He invited her to dinner that night and she declined. But he had a guard force her to show up. She didnt eat. The thought of eating with another other than Zuko didnt please her. Even she could tolerate Zuko. This man, she couldnt tolerate. It broke her heart to think that she had to marry this man. This man whoms parents should have had an abortion. I know that it isnt right, but this was nessisary, he was sexist. She would hiss at him all the time. She knew that if Prince Zuko ever found her, he wouldnt like what he saw, she had no more light in her eyes, her face was cut with glass and dried blood coverd most of her wounds. She just wasnt that same girl who had left him so long ago. She was depribed and tormented. Tortured and unhappy. She never had a reason to die on the ship which was her home. She never knew something so terrible, so..so..tormenting would happen to her. Could happen to her.

"Hilda" The king said, breaking her thoughts. "You seem unhappy my dear."

"I am not your dear." She barked. She didnt look him in the eye. She just staired down at her food. His face made her want to throw up. To think, she'll have to kiss this man. The mear thought made her gag. She stood up from the table, flipping him off, she walked into the large library and picked out a book written by Edgar Allan Poe. She read this book. It often discribed the torment she felt, like..in the Tell Tale Heart. She wanted to rip this man's heart out and put it under the floor boards. She cried as she prayed to god that Zuko would find her soon. But she had lost her faith so long ago, she lost faith that anyone would save her from this pain. From this hell. Her body trembled as the thought of this man...this strange man named Tomo trying to... and then she would be giving birth to his children. Ugly as sin. She gaged even more. Suddenly, Zuko came to her mind. The whole month had killed her inside, but it gave her time to think. Zuko, he was the prince of that which had ruined her life. But on the other hand, he too, was six years of age. He himself had no say in the fire nation. A raven pirtched its self on the window sill and staired down at her. Its beady eyes shining in the twilight. Hilda held out a hand to the raven. The raven pertched itself on her hand, lisoning to what she told this raven. "I really miss Zuko you know? I really hate him, but at the same time, he is apart of me." The raven nodded as if understanding. She spoke to the raven, though the raven did not respond. In due time, the raven understood who this, Zuko person was. It understood Hilda. It became her only friend in this troubling palace. It had been given an envalope and told to deliver it to Zuko. Though it did not fully understand, It took the envalope in its claws and flew out the large window. Flying in a random direction.

* * *

Zuko was pacing the deck all that day and half the night. Stairing up at the starry skys. His head could only think of Hilda. Only Hilda and nothing more; Coal had been deliverd to the ship during the month so it was faster now. But that didnt seem to make any diffrence. They couldnt find Hilda and nearly gave up. Iroh came upto the deck where Zuko was pacing. 

"Prince Zuko.." and his voice trailed off. The raven was above them, the letter in claw. The word Zuko had triggerd the raven's mind. That girl had said something about delivering this note to a ZUKO. Though it didnt know who Zuko was, when Iroh said Zuko, the raven flew down to Zuko and perched on the railing of the ship, taking the letter in its beak. Zuko turned his head to the black bird known as a raven.It flew over to him and dropped the letter. Zuko picked it up and Iroh watched as the raven perched itself on Zuko's shoulder and looked over his shoulder as he read the note.

"Uncle Iroh. Hilda..she says that the man she is suppost to marry is older than her, 19 or twenty she says. He is ugly as sin and a pervert." Zuko told him as he read the letter. "How did this bird..?" The raven let out a caw and tried to tell Zuko where Hilda was. "This bird is insane." Zuko mutterd. The raven kept cawing untill Violet walked onto deck.

"A...raven?" Violet whisperd, she was followed by Ashli, who walked over to the bird and tried to understand.

"raven..." Ashli mutterd. "It wants you to do something Prince Zuko." Violet walked to her sister.

"How do you know?" Violet asked her, Ashli staired at the raven.

"It is flying about, and pulling at my shirt. That means that it wants something." With that, The bird flew to Zuko and bit down on his pony-tail and pulled, letting go and continue to fly. "Follow I think. I think this bird wants you to follow it Zuko."

"Well. We got nothing else to lose, so raven, Lead the way." With that, Zuko orderd the guy who steers to follow the raven. Confused, the man understood and followed the bird.

* * *

Hilda had slept in the library, in that chair. Woken with a book clutched to her. It was the Edgar Allan Poe book she had been reading. One of the maids which Tomo had came to her and told her it was almost time for the wedding. She choked. She couldnt marry this basturd. But the maid had her come and try on the dresses which were picked out for her to wear. They were all fancy, The dress she picked out looked like it was made out of gold and the hem was under her shoulders. Just enough to her boob wasnt showing but the jackass basturd of a king could look down it and see all he wanted. It was way too fancy. The maid was waiting outside the room untill she finished changing untill another maid came and told her to help with the decorations for the wedding. Hilda stood there in that room, stairing at the mirror, tears rolling down her face. She began to silently cry as she sat down on the bed in the room. In a few hours she would be married to a Jackass basturd who she doesnt know. Would he be a good husband or bad? She didnt know this man or anything about him. She just wanted Zuko..

* * *

The raven had lead them to the island. Zuko orderd that Violet and Ashli stay with Iroh. With that, Zuko followed the bird to the palace. Red and Gold it was. The raven flew upto a window and Zuko had to find a way to follow. There wasnt a grappling hook for him to throw and climb up. He franticly looked for something to climb up. But there were no trees tall enough. The raven flew into the room, leaving Zuko there to find a way in. He walked to the frount door and snuck in, hiding behind pillers and statues. He made his way around the palace unseen. He walked by the room Tomo was in and over heard the conversation he was having with his butler.

"What do you plan to do with Miss.Hilda?" the butler asked him, Tomo laughed.

"well. I ain't getting any younger." Tomo told him. "I think she'll give birth to the new heir." With that, Zuko had to controle himself so that he could find the room where Hilda was. But this basturd was just pissing him off. How could he talk like that about Hilda? She was _not_ going to give birth to _His_ heir. Zuko snuck around thepalace trying to remain unseen. which was a bit hard in a gold and red palace. Esspecially the fact that the red was bright red and not dark red like Zuko's armor. Im not going to say that it was easy to sneak around this palace, because it wasnt. This palace was huge and he had no idea where she was. Over 100 rooms to search and he was sure that one would be the wrong room and he would get arrested. Not only that, but everyone in this palace was pissing Zuko off. Talking about how Hilda was going to give birth to the heir and stuff like that. It was difficult for Zuko to controle himself. When he came to a closed door, he lisoned to what the people/person inside was/were talking about. Whoever was in there wasnt doing anything. So he took a deep breath and opend the door..


	13. Saved!

**Saved!**

Who was behind this door? Was it someone waiting to hug him, or waiting to kill him? When Zuko opend the door he was pleased to see it wasnt someone who was going to kill him, but the blushing bride. Though she was everything but blushing. She wasnt smiling, she wasnt happy, she wasnt impatiant and she wasnt excited. But she was crying, miserable, she didnt want the hour to ever come, and she was whatever the opposite of excited is. But when she looked from her misery and saw Zuko, her face fresh with cuts, a smile crept onto her face. She stood up from the bed and ran to give him a hug. He happily welcomed her hug, he missed her so much and was so happy to see her again. They were so absent mindedly happy to see eachother that they gave eachother a kiss. It lasted for about 10 seconds before they relized and stopped. But that didnt stop the hug. If anything, it tightend. Zuko looked at her cut face and smiled. Not because she had been hurt because that would have made him burst into flames and seek revenge. But because he knew she was atleast okay. Time heals all wounds ect. ect. They had stopped the hug to try and figure out a way to get out of the room without being seen. Zuko figured that if they tied the sheets on that bed together, they could use it as a rope and climb out the window. It could reach the bottom, but they wouldnt have anything to tie it on so that it will still reach out the window.

"We could use some of the other butt ugly wedding dresses!" Hilda pointed out, giving them to him. He nodded and tied the fancy expencive dresses to the sheets, which made it long enough now to reach the bottom and they could tie it to the bed post. But when they threw the sheets out there for them to climb down, Hilda could hear Tomo coming to the room. She could always tell because his footsteps echoed through the hall. "Zuko. Climb down the sheets."

"Im taking you with me." Zuko told her, yanking her to the window.

"Just go!" Hilda hissed at him. Zuko shook his head.

"Hilda, I came to get you and Im not leaving without you." Zuko told her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close to him. A quick moment of the two blushing, they began to climb out the window. Hilda being held by Zuko's free arm.

"I owe you." Hilda told her as they climbed down. Zuko shook his head.

"No you don't." Once they were at the bottom, Zuko kept her held close to him for a breif second. Both were red. Zuko almost let go of Hilda, but when he looked up from her, he saw Tomo's soldier's ready to kill him. Hilda pushed herself from Zuko and stood infrount of him.

"You touch him, You'll have to kill me, and then Kingie Tomo won't have a bride. Hilda barked at them, they inched away from him. But as they walked passed them, Hilda holding onto Zuko's hand. A soldier stabbed Zuko in the arm with a dagger. Which made Hilda thrust him forward as the soldiers began to attack him. Zuko was bleeding badly. Hilda took Zuko onto her back, and while still wearing a long golden dress, she ran him away from them and got him to a safe spot. He was just barly contious, but Hilda acted as fast as she could, taking his armor off his chest and his shirt after that, once they was accomplished, she ripped the bottom of her gold silk dress and wrapped it around his wound, tears in her eyes. "Please Zuko. Don't die on me. Dont..die.." Hilda cried to him as she wrapped the irreplacable silk onto his wounds that the soldiers had made. They had made more than that one wound. Some on his back and many on his arms and such. She cried as she ripped the expencive silk dress around bloody wounds. "Please be alright.." But Zuko had passed out. Not on, but out. Hilda kept close to him, stroking the pony tail he had on his head. "Please..." Hilda cried as she lied herself on his shirtless chest and began to hum a tune. Which slowly became words. "Hiding Away  
Losin' the day  
As if it doesn't really matter  
Saying Goodbye  
Scared to say why  
Afraid it will shatter our world  
Show me some faith now  
Trust me somehow  
Why are we keepin' our secret  
Why are we hiding ourselves away  
Anyway we can hide away  
I dont wanna fake it  
I wanna make you believe, what I say  
I wont let you...hide away  
Where do we go  
How do we know  
What we're ever really after  
Sometimes it's clear  
When you are here  
Nothing can shatter our world  
I need some faith now  
To trust you somehow  
Why are we keepin' our secret  
Why are we hiding ourselves away  
Anyway we can hide away  
I dont wanna fake it  
I wanna make you believe what I say  
I wont let you...hide away  
Maybe i, maybe i, maybe i'm losin'  
Maybe i, maybe i, maybe i'm OK  
Turn around, look around, go around in circles  
Dont run away, drift away, dont hide away  
Why are we keepin' our secret  
Why are we hiding ourselves away  
Anyway you can, hide away  
I dont wanna fake it  
I wanna make you believe what I say  
Ohh but i cant  
Believe what i said  
I wont let you hide away, hide away  
Hiding away, losin' my day  
As if it doesn't really matter" She sang to mostly herself, thinking and was right that no one was around to hear her. Zuko was pretty much sleeping and Iroh was on the ship with her sisters.

When Zuko woke up the next day, he found that he and Hilda were sleeping on a branch in a tree near by. His shirt and armor were still on the ground but when he looked down, he saw Hilda was asleep on him. His face turning a bright red, he didnt move to get his shirt. He probably would wake her up and he didnt want to do that. He wasnt positive how fast asleep she was, so he took up his curage and softly kissed her on her mouth. She didnt stirr. Zuko smiled to himself as they both sat in the tree. Zuko without a shirt but he did have pants on. Hilda's dress was all ripped up and he had gold silk which now had blood soaked through. He fingerd the ripped lace on her dress softly, not to wake her. Zuko was suprised that she would willingly rip up such a valuble dress, She could have sold it and gotten a better life for herself and for her sisters. But Zuko was wrong. Hilda didnt want a better life. The life she now had, she considerd to be great. Zuko and his uncle were like family to her, they treated her like family should. Except Zuko, he was in _love_ with her. He wanted to be with her untill the day he died. It was about five minutes after he finished fingering the lace before she woke up, but when she did, it suprised Zuko and they both fell out of the tree. Zuko hitting the ground first, and then Hilda. They both were red as they heard someone clear his voice.

"Prince Zuko." the person mumbled to the prince. Zuko and Hilda both looked up to see Iroh grinning pervertedly at them. It was then that Hilda quickly got off of Zuko and sat cross legged 7 inches from him. A normal distance I suppose. Acting like she didnt do anything at all. Which she didnt, by that I mean like she was never atop of him. Both Zuko and Hilda were red. Iroh laughed a bit. "Now I know why Zuko never came back."

"Uncle it wasnt like that!" Zuko protested. Iroh just laughed.

"Oh sure Prince Zuko. whatever you say." Iroh teased as his nephew snorted, he stood up and walked over to his armor, putting it back on. All three of them walked back to the ship. Silent.

* * *

**Hide Away--Hilary Duff**


	14. Dreams

**Dreams..**

"ZUKO!" Hilda cried. She was lost in the large forest in her new skirt she had made out of the ripped dress. Her legs were weak and arms wernt working right. She could barly stand up, let alone look for Zuko. A peircing scream was heard from no where, But as Hilda tried to stand up and run to the person/persons who were screaming, she just fell over, blood drenched her. Her eyes were wide. Zuko, Iroh, Ashli, and Violet were sprawled over in blood. Hilda trembled. "Zuko...Iroh...Ashli...Violet...no...oh god please no!" She cried, unable to move, she watched as everyone she cared about died. Died right before her eyes and she couldnt do anything about it. "GOD! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! HOW COULD YOU KILL EVERYONE I CARE ABOUT!" Hot tears fell from her eyes, but as time passed, the forest went pitch black and Hilda fell into darkness.

Hilda shot up in her cot. She was drinched in sweat. Breathing heavily.

"Big sister Hilda what is wrong?" Ashli asked, walking to her sister. Hilda had to have a moment to collect herself.

"N..nothing Ashli. Go back to sleep. Im going to go start breakfast." Hilda told her, getting off her cot.

"But Big sister, its 2 am." Ashli said to her sister tirdly. Hilda sweatdropped.

"Then im going to go have a cup of green tea, go back to bed." Hilda told her, Ashli nodded and walked back to her own cot and went back to sleep. Hilda walked out of the cell and into the kitchen were she made herself some tea. She sat in the dining area and drank it. As she drank it, she saw Zuko join her.

"What were you screaming about?" Zuko asked her, yawning. He was wearing pants but no shirt. Hilda nearly choked on her tea. Zuko watched as she slowly put her glass onto the table and grabbed onto his unclothed arm. Almost cutting off the circulation.

"Bad dream," Hilda mumbled to him. Zuko could see tears well up in her eyes. "Don't go dieing Zuko."

"I wont." He told her, glancing around the room to see if uncle Iroh had come to spy again. Because mostly that is what people do when it is romantic. "Want to tell me about your dream?" He felt Hilda shake her head.

"Not really. Its just...I just..." She mumbled, unsure of how to go at telling him about her dream basicly. "I saw you and your uncle and my sisters die just like my parents did. Im scared that Im going to lose you." With that, He looked at her. She blushed. "And everyone else."

"Well like I said, I aint gonna die any time soon." Zuko told her, giving her a light light light LIGHT smile. Im not sure how that can get so light but it did, it was as if he wasnt smiling at all really. But Hilda could see the smile he was giving her.

"Okay." She grinned and finished drinking her tea.Letting his arm go. Luckly, no one saw them during this little moment of assurity.She couldnt really beleive what she did to him. The grabbing of his arm. That dream must have really scared her. "The worst part was that I had lost everyone I cared about. Im guessing that must be my worst fear." Zuko lisoned to what she said. Trying to think of something comferting to say.

"Well you don't have to worry about any of that. Why don't you go take a nice hot bath and try to get back to sleep?" Zuko offerd. Hoping that was helping. He was never really good at helping much.

"You won't walk in on me will you?" Hilda asked him. Half bitter, half teasingly. Zuko shook his head.

"Nah." With that, He stood up and walked back into his room. Hilda smiled at him as he walked off. Smiling, she finished her tea. She staired into the green cup. Unknowledgable that Zuko had not actually walked to his room yet, he had stayed in the shadows to make sure she was actually okay. Hilda swooshed her green tea around as thoughts ran through her head. _My head is overloaded...what did my dream mean? Was it because I can't figure out what the hell is going on with my own heart? Or because something is going to happen? I just wish I could figure out this all.._ She thought to herself as sheswooshed her tea around a bit more. Zuko relized that she might be okay, so he slipped back into his room unnoticed and lied down on the bed. Trying to get back to sleep, while Hilda stood up from the table, her tea gone, and dwalked into the bathroom and got ready for a bath.The water was unheated. Apparently, Zuko forgot that the water could only be heated by firebending. Which, she couldnt do. With a soft sigh, she got re-dressed and walked back to where her cot was. She lied down on it and tried to figure this all out. She hardly got any sleep that night.

Once morning arose, she was tired. Not really wanting to wake up, she forced herself off her cot and into the kitchen and made some rice. Much too tired to cook anything else. Everyone ate it without question. Knowing how tired she must be. Zuko almost offerd to have her perform on music night, but his uncle beat him to it.

"Miss. Hilda, would you enjoy performing at music night on the ship?" Iroh asked her, with a yawn, she nodded. She'd most likely take a nap that day.

"Yeah." Hilda replied after a few moments of silence. Like she was thinking about it for a while after she nodded. Iroh smiled.

"That is good. Im sure your the only one here who actually has _talent_." Iroh told her, half complamentory, half teasingly at the crew. Because they all had no talent. Hilda picked up her cup of tea and took a drink of her tea. Her tea half drunk and her rice half eaten, she cleared her spot at the table and walked onto the deck, she sat on the rail trying to figure out all that was in her head. Her whole body trembled at everythought. The waves caressed the ship as she balanced herself on the railing. She began to think outloud, everyone thought she was talking to herself, but she didnt care.

"I heard that dreams seem to show an inner frame of mind. Do I want them all dead? Of course not! I don't want them dead. They mean the world to me, how can I even think that?" She asked herself aloud.

"Because you don't know what is wrong." Someone said, she quickly turned her head to see Zuko. She pouted.

"I don't know what your talking about." Hilda hissed at him, looking away from him and tword the ocean. Zuko leaned on the railing beside her.

"Don't be like that." he teased, almost half heartedly.

"Shut up." She hissed. lightly kicking his face with her boot. Enough to get the point across that she was cross with him, but not enough to seriously hurt him. A gust of wind blew against Hilda and Zuko. Sending their hair forward. Hilda's infrount of her eyes and Zuko's not to far from its usual position. "Zuko. Lets not stop at an island for a while." Hilda suddenly said, breaking the silence.

"How come?" Zuko asked, stairing at the horizon, but glancing at her.

"Thats where my dream was." She told him, she saw a teeny tiny smile creep itself onto his face. Was he finding this amusing? She could have sworn that any minute he would burst out laughing. He actually did almost laugh. He figured it was all a joke. But he saw how serious she was. She usually has a gleam in her eye when she is just teasing him. His smile dissapeired.

"Don't think too much about it. Its probably nothing." Zuko said sitting on the rail as well but the opposite way of Hilda. He saw that she was seriously hurting. Not just the serious he had seen before, but the serious that she looked like she was about to cry. Which made him look away. It would look like he made her cry. "Dont cry. It will look like I made you cry."

"Shut the fuck up." She barked at him, giving him a hard smack and then hopping onto the deck from the bar and stomping off to the cell. Zuko put his hand to his cheek. He never heard her curse like that. He felt guilty now. Maybe he should have let her cry if she had to. He stood there in shock for a bit, removing his hand from his face and stairing over the ship.

Hilda had stomped into her cell. Locking it behind her. She was all alone in the cell. Her sisters were playing Pai-cho with Iroh, leaving Hilda to stair up at the celing. _How could he say something like that? "It will look like I made you cry" Good god if he was having these weird dreams where the person he loves- wait..did I...just...? no. NO! I will never admit it! No no no no no noooooo!_ She scolded herself. She felt someone hug her from behind. When she turned around she saw it was Zuko, he had a key to every cell. Hilda just backed off untill he grabbed her wrist and apoligized. She just looked at him.

"Im sorry." He repeted. Hilda was still silent. Her gaze shifted around the cell. Her sisters, still playing Pai-cho with Iroh on deck. So she gave Zuko a grin

"Forgiven." She told him. She stuck her toung out at him teasingly. He grinned.

"Okay."

Twilight came and the whole crew came onto the deck. Violet and Ashli watched with Iroh and Zuko. Hilda walked infrount of everyone as they clapped. She began to strum the strings of her guitar.

"Why do you look so familiar  
I could swear that I  
Have seen your face before  
I think I like that you seem sincere  
I think I'd like to get  
To know you a little bit more

I think there's something more  
Life's worth living for

Who knows what could happen  
Do what you do  
Just keep on laughing  
One thing's true  
There's always a brand new day  
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day

How do you always have an opinion  
And how do you always find  
The best way to compromise  
We don't need to have a reason  
We don't need anything  
We're just wasting time

I think there's something more  
Life's worth living for

Who knows what could happen  
Do what you do  
Just keep on laughing  
One thing's true  
There's always a brand new day

Who knows what could happen  
Do what you do  
Just keep on laughing  
One thing's true  
There's always a brand new day  
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day

Find yourself  
'Cause I can't find you  
Be yourself  
Who are you?  
Find youself  
'Cause I can't find you  
Be yourself  
Who are you?

Who knows what could happen  
Do what you do  
Just keep on laughing  
One thing's true  
There's always a brand new day

So you go make it happen  
Do your best  
Just keep on laughing  
I'm telling you  
There's always a brand new day

Who knows what could happen  
Do what you do  
Just keep on laughing  
One thing's true  
There's always a brand new day  
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day" When her song ended, everyone clapped. She truly was the only one with talent. So much that they asked her to sing another one. Hilda hesitated. "I um, Already had my turn so-"

"Sing another one!" They all cheered. She grinned and strummed her strings again. Trying to think of another song other than the one she already had in her head, but the strings, they forced the words out.

"I looked away  
Then I look back at you  
You try to say  
The things that you can't undo  
If I had my way  
I'd never get over you  
Today's the day  
I pray that we make it through  
Make it through the fall  
Make it through it all  
And I don't wanna fall to pieces  
I just want to sit and stare at you  
I don't want to talk about it  
And I don't want a conversation  
I just want to cry in front of you  
I don't want to talk about it  
Cuz I'm in Love With you  
You're the only one,  
I'd be with till the end  
When I come undone  
You bring me back again  
Back under the stars  
Back into your arms  
Wanna know who you are  
Wanna know where to start  
I wanna know what this means  
Wanna know how you feel  
Wanna know what is real  
I wanna know everything, everything  
I'm in love with you  
Cuz i'm in love with you  
I'm in love with you  
I'm in love with you" Everyone liked it. They didnt really think that she had a person in mind when she was singing it. Hilda was releived that no one noticed she had sung it about..well...yeah you can probably guess.

Well anyway. When the music night ended, and everyone on the ship went off to bed. Hilda stayed behind. Trying to stay wide awake. Hilda was apprarently tired, but she had to stop having those dreams. The only way to stop dreaming is to stop sleeping. When her eyes would get heavy, she would smack herself to wake up again. What was enough to keep her up for the next few hours was repeting _Your in love with Zuko_ and instantly, she was wide awake.

"Why are you still up?" A voice asked her from behind. She didnt look at the person. She was bitter.

"Why are you?" She asked. Not knowing who she was talking to, but she figured it was Zuko.

"Green tea." The person said proudly. Iroh. Hilda turned her head and saw Iroh standing behind her. Holding out a cup to her. She took it and drank it. " So, why are you up so late?"

"Well. I had a nightmare and am afraid it will come back, so im staying awake." She told him drinking her tea. She would have preferd coffee.

"I don't think it will come back. Usually, dreams come back when you repete the prosses of that day." Iroh told her, that sounded logical.

"That may be true. But what if a diffrent, more scary dream comes?" She asked, finishing off yet another cup of tea. She rather liked tea.

"You'll never know unless you get some sleep. Dreams can't hurt you anyway." Iroh told her, Trying to be comferting.

"Yes they can." She protested, he looked at her.

"How so?"

"Dreams may not be able to physically hurt you. But it will leave an imprint of the images in your mind, your mind will slave over the images untill you can figure out what they mean. Sometimes you instantly forget, those dreams, they have no meaning. The one I had I've been debating over all day. Its been hurting my head." She explained,sighing. "And besides. How can I just lie down and sleep while the people I consider my family be killed?"

"I guess you have a point there." Iroh pointed out to her, he saw her yawn. "Miss Hilda, please go on to bed." Hilda was silent for a bit. Then nodded.

"Okay." With that, she bid him goodnight and walked to the cell and lied on the cot. Insantly falling into a deep sleep.

Underwater. Bubbles rising to the surface. Arms reaching for the surface, reaching for life. One body lies watching helplessly as the bodies sunk into the water. Screaming out for help, but nothing but a glub was heard. The bodies reached for her but her limbs wouldnt respond. Only her body was risin above the water. To see the spirits of those lost, angry with her.

"How could you do this?" They hauntedly asked her. "How could you let us die like that...?"

"Im sorry!" She cried back at them. Her body trembled as she pleaded for their forgivness. Zuko's spirit knelt down beside her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I want you dead. Like us." Zuko told her. Hauntingly. She screamed.

"Please Zuko...no..." She cried.

"Wake up..." Zuko hauntedly said to her.

"Wha..?"

"wake up..!" He orderd her again. More vicious this time.

"what...?"

"Wake up!"

With that, Hilda's eyes shot open. Zuko sat on her cot,His arms on her shoulders, shaking her awake.She was surrounded by Zuko, Iroh, and her sisters. She just looked around. Moving her arms so she could make sure they worked with her mind again. When this was accomplished, she wiped the sweat from her face. She looked so tortured.

"She had another one.." Ashli sighed. "What does this all..?" But Hilda pushed Zuko aside and made her way to the deck, She moved as if she was ill and had to throw up. Dizzy. Her body trembled as she moved this way. Haunted by Zuko's ghastly voice. The voice which woke her from her nightmare. She felt like she was about to cry. She wanted to, but she had to be strong..strong.. But her wish to be strong didnt last too long, she began to weep. She sunk to the hard metel floor of the deck, hugging her legs to her chest as she weeped. Why was she having such terrible visons. Everyone whom was around her cot came upto where she was and surrounded her there. Zuko was her shoulder, Iroh was the elder who was able to comfert her with wisdom. Her sisters surrounded her and tried to be supportive and not be terrified of their strong sister's weeps. Zuko was actually abnormally nice to her. But no body made anything out of it, they were all nice to her. Trying to get her to tell them what her dreams were about. But she was unable to speak passed the chokes of her cries. Her strong heart was ripped apart over these pictures in her head. The slideshow of death in her brain. When it was showing that she would be able to talk again, they asked her to tell them one more time.

"all of you...were dieing and there wasnt anything I could do." She spat out all at once. Though they understood every word. Zuko tightend his grip on her.

"I told you already, you don't have to worry about that. Were not going to die." Zuko assured her, she shook her head in woefulness. Her tears fell more and more.

"Zuko. Sail the ship to the place where my mom and dad died its.." and she told him where it was. He nodded and orderd the guy who steers the ship to sail to the place Hilda had told Zuko. More than instanly, the boat changed directions and began sailing back to her hometown.

* * *

**Who knows and Fall to Peices--Avril Lavigne**


	15. Tourniquet

**Tourniquet**

It was a few days untill they reached the harbor of the town. Hilda kept having these nightmares that ate away at her sanity. Soon, she wouldnt get off her cot. Not untill Zuko told her that they had reached the harbor. Hilda stepped off with her sisters, stairing at the familier setting. Nothing had changed, the people apparently re-built their lives. No one seemed to know Hilda, but she didnt bother to stop and talk to them. She went strait for the house which she had grown to the age six in. She found the house in its old spot. Its usual position. With everyone following her, she creaked open the old door and walked in. It was dusty. Firenation helmets everywhere. She felt her body quiver. Like a cold chill and found its way up her spine. She saw that on the wood floor next to the old staircase. Was a pool of blood. Stained into the wood. Violet and Ashli clinged to Hilda as she made her way bravly forward. She had forgotten what living here was like. Gingerly, after walking into the house with everyone. She walked up the old creaking stairs into the old room where her sisters and herself had been woken up that night. That night that changed them. Before coming up there, she orderd them all to stay downstairs. All of them obeyed her.

It was so dusty in this room. But Hilda expected that. The only window was shatterd and the old cardboard boxes were still there. It was like, they left their helmits behind at the scene of the life ruining. Zuko followed her up the stairs while everyone else looked around the house. He saw her sitting beside the shatterd window.

"Hilda.." He whisperd sympathedicly. He saw her start to softly cry.

"Why did this happen...? Why couldnt they just...take the house. Why..? Why must my parents be dead...like this...?" She asked him as if he knew the awncers.

"I..I dont know." He admitted. Her body trembled as she cried.Zuko slowly walked over to where she was sitting. Offering his shoulder for her to cry on again. He knew how hard this must be for her, so he didnt worry about how people would react to his kindness. This definitly wasnt the time for them to be taunting her. Hilda grabbed onto his hand. Zuko hated to feel her hand tremble like that, so afraid. He loved to see her happy. Not breaking up like this. He wanted to be able to take away all her pain and agony, but he knew that he couldnt. All he was able to do right now is support her and let her cry on him. Which is exactly what she did. For so long Zuko had put off being her shoulder that she needed to cry on. "Hilda..I hate seeing you in such pain. Im sorry..that I couldn't have pravented this.."

"It wasnt like you killed them. I just wish god had taken me with them. I just..don't want to hurt like this..."She cried to him. Not hystaricly though. Zuko held her tight to him as she cried this all out to him. "I hate being the strong one..the miss. Unafraid. I had to bottle up my own feelings so that my sisters would be okay. So that they could live a reasonably happy life.." She felt Zuko give her a tiny forehead kiss.

"It sounds like you lost alot..im sorry." Zuko told her. Hugging her. Iroh and Hilda's sisters walked in as Hilda made Zuko let go of her.The sisters surrounded Hilda as she wiped away her sad face to act like nothing was bothering her anymore. But they saw right through that.

"Big sister Hilda. You were always so strong for us." Ashli began. Violet was to finish.

"So we decided that its our turn to be strong, and you can show weakness. It seems you-" But Hilda cut her off.

"Im not going to be strong now, nor weak. But you two. You can always be weak or strong. Which ever you choose. Maybe together we can be weak." Hilda told them. They nodded as hot tears rolled down their faces. Hilda got off the window sill and knelt down to them. Stroking their hair as all three wormwart orphans cried together.A good cry can usually make someone feel better, even when their circomstances have not changed a bit.Three sets of tears fell as Zuko tried to approch them, but Iroh stopped him.

"Uncle-" Zuko silently protested. Iroh shook his head.

"Just let them. Its what they need." Iroh told his nephew as Zuko stopped and could only watch. It killed him to just watch as the two people he found tolerable and the one girl he had a huge crush on cried in the middle of their old house from ten years in the past. Zuko then relized, he could have protested against this all. But he was only six years of age when this happend. He didnt know what was going on in the world.If he ever was able to go home, when he became fire lord, his first act of buisness is to stop this. To stop the fire nation soldiers from taking money from inasent people and killing families. He saw how his father's actions had resulted to these poor ladies. They lost everything. A home, a childhood. All they had was eachother at such a young age too. 6,3,and 2 months. He could only imagin how hard life was back when they had no real home. When they had to steal to survive. When Hilda had to play guitar on the side for tips untill she was 14 and old enough to work. It was then that Zuko relized how hard the real world can be. Living without a ship or an uncle who cared. They had no one in the world to care about what they did, to give them guidance and wisdom.They had to figure ten years of life out on their own. Zuko felt more and more sympathedic. He wished he had been able to help them before their life lead Hilda to insanity. No matter. He would probably have to beg his father to allow him home so he can give Hilda a home. Hilda, Violet, and Ashli would finish of their life in the palace with Zuko. It was all too picture perfect. Zuko felt it probably wouldnt work out so well. His father wouldnt allow him back. Nor would he allow three beautiful young ladies to reside at the palace of the firelord that they wanted dead. But of course if his father died, he would be fire lord and he could stop such events from repeting theirselfs.He could save lots of families and help lots of children keep lives that Hilda and her sisters lost. Zuko was actually alittle glad he spoke when he wasnt suppost to. These events which Hilda had put him through were bliss. Though scary. He didn't think she would really fight Jhou, but she did, and won! he figured she'd die on that ship, though wounded, not dead. That is when the memory came of the accidental kiss. His first and best. He wished he could show her affection without being secritive about it. Without worry of teasing and such. This was all annoying Zuko to no end. He wanted to bring Hilda and her sisters home with him. He wanted to wake up in the same region in which he was asleep in. He hated the metel ship while at the same time, it was his real home. Would Hilda really want to come to the palace with him? Would she want to be treated like a queen and have her every whim granted? Or would she want a home where she wasnt treated like royalty. Atleast, not by servants. Zuko never really thought about that before.

Iroh saw his nephew in deep thought. It made him wounder what about. His glance shifted between the weeping ladies and his nephew. Iroh always figured that Zuko would care about these girls. They most likely were the small light in his rather dark world. Iroh had tried to give the best comfert to his nephew, but it was always rejected. He figured Zuko was grateful enough to be in a regular house than on the ship.

When the sisters had finished thier good cry. The sun was still up. Twilight actually. Hilda wiped her sisters' tears away and forced a smile to her face.

"I think I might be able to make Pasta Puttanesca for dinner." Hilda said smiling a bit. Violet and Ashli nodded with a smile. "Okay then. Im going to the market to buy what I need. I'll be back soon." She walked down the creaking stairs of the house and tword the Market. Iroh played Pai-cho with the girls as usual and Zuko paced the house, trying to figure out what to do. He was rather hungry and wanted Hilda to hurry and come back. Hours passed and still no Hilda. Zuko grew worried. Everyone did. 9 o' clock and still no Hilda. Zuko couldnt stand it anymore. He stormed out of that old house and went looking for her. Followed by Iroh and her sisters. They looked all over the town and forced information out of the residants. No one gave them any information. They checked the forest around the town and Zuko was the one who found her. She was sprawled out on the ground. Bleeding from her stomach. Zuko paniked and yelled for his uncle. He picked Hilda off the ground and tried to keep her at least contious untill his uncle came. Iroh ran to his nephew and saw Hilda this way. He acted quickly, yelling at Zuko to give him his shirt. Zuko took his armor off and then his shirt, giving it to Iroh. Iroh wrapped it around her stomach so that the blood can't gush out anymore. Tight but not too tight. Then he shouted at Zuko to get her to a hospital. He didn't have to tell Zuko twice, he instantly picked Hilda up and ran to the town's clinic. Iroh was going to explain everything to her sisters the best way he could think of. Zuko paced the waiting room while his uncle explained the whole moment to the sisters. Who seemed to not understand. A few more hours had passed. Passed midnight now. Iroh had fallen asleep with the little girls leaning on him. Zuko was wide awake with worry. It was 2 AM when the doctor came into the waiting room and told Zuko he could see Hilda now. Without waking his uncle or the sisters, he walked into the room the doctor told him and he saw Hilda sitting up bordly. Playing with some dirt from the potted plant. Zuko walked quickly to her and grabbed her hand.

"Hilda..are you okay?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah Just alittle blood loss." She told him. She didnt look it, but she was actually in a hell of alot of pain.

"Who..?" Zuko asked her he saw her eyes lower.

"An old friend. When I was five, he had a crush on me. Pretty big. He started to talk to me and asked if I had anyone special. I told him I did and he got angry and stabbed me." She explained to him point blank. He didnt make an expression, he couldnt think of one to really make.

"Well. Its good that you arn't dead." Zuko told her smiling. She nodded. Yawning.

"Im alittle tired Zuko. Good night." With that, she gave him a good night kiss on his mouth. He turned red and returned it.

"Good night." With that, Zuko walked out of the room and fell asleep on the couch in the waiting room.

**

* * *

Damn writer's block. The next chapter might take a while to get posted. O Damn brain who doesnt work when it damn well better. I hate it when this happends. But I will try and get it posted as fast as possable. **


	16. Death before my eyes

**Death before my eyes**

It was early when Iroh and Hilda's sisters woke, but late when Zuko woke.But even though Hilda was awake longer than everyone else that night, she still woke up early. Though not by choise. She had another dream. This time, everyone was shot with an arrow. Blood all over the trees of a forest and on the ground. Dead bodies. She woke up in a panic. Hilda trembled at the thought. This one felt closer and more likely to happen. She just had this feeling that isnt possable to discribe. She felt helpless. Like a new born kitten. Unable to fight for herself. Even though when she told everyone, they assured her nothing would happen to them. She protested and said that she had a feeling that something was going to happen and that they should leave. But they just said that she was probably just rattled and should just relax. She grew fustraited and angry. No one would believe what she was saying and they would all end up dead.Zuko woke to the sound of her yelling protest. They calmed her down and tried again to assure her nothing would happen. She told them that she had this weird feeling in the back of her mind telling her they should leave A.S.A.P But Violet and Ashli wanted to get some stuff from the market before leaving. Hilda sighed and told them they couldnt.

"Calm down Miss.Hilda. I'll take them to the market to buy what they want and you can just relax. Your probably just stressed." Iroh told her. Once he had finished that statement, he took Ashli and Violet to the market. Zuko stood there with her.

"Hilda. You seem to be...insane." Zuko told her point blank. He felt her grab onto his hand.

"Please. You have to believe me. If no one else does I want at least you Zuko to believe me. I don't want everyone to think im insane." She wept to him. He put his arm without the hand over her shoulders and pulled her into a hug.

"Hilda. Its not that I don't know your dreams are scareing you. But Uncle, your sisters and I arn't dieing." Zuko told her kindly, She pushed him away from her when he finished saying that.

"Not yet!" Hilda hissed. Zuko saw her stand up. The gold dress that she was suppost to be married in was cut into a medium long skirt and a strapless tank top. She just sat back down on the bed and trembled. "Why won't anyone believe me...?" Zuko placed his arm over her again. Trying to get her to smile at least alittle.

"Its just, dreams don't usually say when someone is going to die." Zuko told her she just grabbed onto him and kept him in a hug.

"You say that but you don't know for sure do you. Zuko if you really care about me like you keep showing. You have to believe me and please, lets go get your uncle and my sisters and leave." Zuko placed a hand on her face and caressed it.

"Hilda, even if your dreams are telling you that, you know that running away from fate isnt ever going to work." Zuko told her. She nodded in understandment.

"I know." She managed to force a little laugh. "I couldn't get away from you now could I?" Zuko smiled and shook his head.

They left the clinic after that and walked through the forest after telling Iroh where they would be. They enterd the forest and from behind them, stood Hilda's old friend. He was a rather tall man. Muscular like Zuko and dressed in a mucle shirt and jeans. He had short brown hair and a sexy face.

"Are you the man who stole away my Hilda?" He asked Zuko bitterly. Zuko rose an eyebrow.

"Stole your Hilda?" Zuko questioned, looking at Hilda from the corner of his eye.

"I told you Andie. I don't, nor will I ever, have feelings for you." She barked at him. He drew a bow and arrow.

"Well then.If I can't have you, no one can." He told her, aiming the arrow for Zuko. Hilda stood infrount of Zuko.

"You kill him, and I will kill you." She barked at him, that didnt stop him, From the shadows of the forest came out two other men. Who grabbed Hilda's arms and held her back. While Andie aimed the arrow for Zuko, pulled back and let it fly. Zuko's arm got peirced with the arrow. Hilda screamed and tried to fight her way from the men so she could save Zuko. Tears streaming. "Stop it Andie! Don't kill him! I'll date you! Just don't kill him!" With that, Andie nodded and his friends let her go. Zuko wanted to go and stop this. But Hilda told him that she would be okay. Andie put his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. She truly liked Zuko's embrace better. She knew what she had to do was right. Right? No, no it wasnt. Zuko was okay, but now that she wasnt held back by Andie's friends, she pushed him away and grabbed Zuko's hand, pulled him onto her back and ran from them. Flipping Andie off. Zuko lied his head on the back of Hilda's neck, growing weaker. That one arrow had drained alot of blood from his arm. He could hear Hilda telling him to stay alive alittle longer. He had never feared death before, not untill now. He was worried. What would Hilda, her sisters, and his uncle Iroh do if he died? Iroh didnt know that Zuko had promised his home to Hilda if he was able to give it to her. The sounds of Hilda's pleeds grew faint. He could never die happy untill Hilda knew. Untill she knew his thoughts of her. How he felt about her. So with his last ounce of breath. He whisperd the words he would never say in the company of others.

"Hilda..I love you." Once he finished the you. He passed out. Hilda had heard him clearly. But she was too focused on keeping him alive to think about what he said to her. She wasnt about to let him die. Not now and not ever. She ran into the hospital and demanded help. The nurse nodded and took Zuko into the room where a docter would take care of him. Hilda had his hand over her's untill it slipped away. She found herself crying. He was what helped her do the things she never thought she could do before. Like love someone. She wasnt about to let him die. She let her parents die because she was scared. But she wasnt about to repete her actions, no, not when this all could be prevented. Iroh and Hilda's sisters ran in after hearing the news.Her sisters stood beside Hilda while Iroh tried to figure out what was going on with his nephew. When he asked Hilda what happend, she was silent. How could she say that he was probably going to die from trying to protect her? Of course, keeping silent wasnt going to help much either. So she just had to say it.

"He got shot in the arm with an arrow." She told him point blank. A quiver in her voice. "Just.Like.In.My.Dream."

"Is he going to be alright?" Iroh asked her. She was quiet.

"I don't know yet. I got him here as fast as I could." She informed him, Iroh sat silently next to her. Violet and Ashli were playing with the new toys Iroh bought them. There was a while of silence.Hilda felt it was her fault this all happend. She didnt know what she would do if he died. She would have to live with the guilt. It would eat away at her untill she went insane. She felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder after she noticed she started to cry.

"Hilda, im sure he will be okay." Iroh said to her comfertably. Her flesh crawled.

"I don't know how I can believe that so confadently. I was too weak to save my parents, but I swore I won't ever let that happen again.If he dies I will have broken my promise and I would have been too weak all over again." she told him, supressing her tears.

"you did what you could.Prince Zuko knows that. Im sure of it." Iroh said to her, trying to comfert her again.

"I hope so." She told him under her breath. The guilt rising in her heart even more. Would Zuko be alright? Does he really know she did the best she could? Or could she have done better? Was there something that she could have done better? That just caused the guilt to rise faster. If he was to be alright. She didn't know if he would still love her like he said he did. She had never worried this much about anything. Or anyone.


	17. Behind these hazel eyes

**Behind these Hazel eyes**

Hilda stayed up all night that night. Not dreaming of death. But worried about Zuko. She never before thought she would be so worried about him. Iroh had fallen asleep at midnight. Three o' clock rolled around and Hilda still was wide awake with worry. Her eyes were filled with tears.Her cheeks were red. She was given word that Zuko was alive. In alittle pain, but they managed to remove the arrow without breaking a vein or blood vessel. She asked if she could see him. The docter lead the way to the room he was sleeping in. Hilda was hesitant with walking in, but she did so. Approching Zuko's body. She grabbed onto his hand and held it. Feeling a choke come to her throat.

"When you're all alone,  
and you need a light,  
someone to guide you through the night,  
just remember that I am here,  
to hold you close and dry your tears.  
Oh-ooh  
And just when you thought you were falling,  
but you know I'll always be right there.  
When you're all alone,  
and you need a friend,  
someone to help you to the end,  
when you need someone to catch you when you fall,  
I'll be there through it all.  
oh-oh  
Cause just when you thought you were losing,  
but you know I'll always be right there.  
And I'll be there through the good times,  
and the bad,  
and we'll be there for each other,  
cause you're the best friend I've ever had.  
And just when you thought you were falling,  
but you know I'll always be right there.  
oh-oooh whenever you need me,  
I'll always be right there." She softly sang to him. Soft enough so that no one else could hear her, but loud enough for him to hear her if he was contious. His hand rose to her face and caressed it.

"good to know." Zuko whisperd to her. Apparently he wasnt asleep, just lieing down with his eyes closed. He opend them and gave her a light smile. Hilda's small frown turned into a large smile.

"Im sorry.." She mumbled to him. He sat up and pulled her into a hug.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Just alittle arrow. No big deal. Im just glad that you don't hate me anymore." He admitted to her. Pulling her out of the embrace and into a kiss. Hilda and Zuko pulled away from their kiss and took a second of silence to stair at eachother.

"I don't know what I would have done if you died. Im so happy your alive." She admitted to him, hugging his neck softly. Zuko mangaged to pull her into another kiss.

"I am glad im alive too. I couldn't stand the afterlife without you." He admitted silently. Hilda smiled and could barly contain her reliefe. Hilda laughed. "what is so funny?"

"You have my lipgloss on your lips." She laughed. He smiled and wiped it from his mouth with his sleeve. That just caused Hilda to laugh harder.

"What?" He asked her, placing his hand on the bed. She pointed to the side of his mouth.

"You smeared it and now its on your face." She laughed. He smiled a bit and wiped it from his face. She smiled "Its gone now." No sooner had the moment passed than Iroh came in, happy to see his nephew alive. Hilda and Zuko had hidden all the signes that they had been kissing. Hilda wiped off her lipgloss because it was smudged. They hid all the smiles to prove that they had been kissing. Knowing Iroh would find out and probably tease them about it. But Iroh saw right through them. Zuko still had some lipgloss on his face from when he tried to wipe it away. Either his nephew had been wearing lipgloss, or he had been kissing someone who had. He rememberd Hilda was wearing some.He mentally smiled to himself over his wisdom. But he hid his knowledge with a question.

"How are you feeling Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked him, Zuko forced back a smile.

"I'd be fine if it wasnt for her." He fake pouted, pointing to Hilda. Giving her a look that said to just go along with it. Hilda understood. She just lowerd her eyes and smacked him across the face. Enough to leave a red mark but not enough to really hurt him. Iroh for a minute considerd that he could be wrong. He then knew he was right. Hilda was wearing lipgloss and unless his nephew was going fruity, he knew they had been kissing.

"Your a dumbass." Hilda hissed. Faking it.Thats when they started to fake fight. "I told you you jackass that we should have just left! But noo! Nothing will happen! well look who is in the hospital!"

"Uncute." was the only remark Zuko could think of at the moment. "I've seen better built things at demoliton."

"Jackass." She barked. Iroh laughed.

"Buisness as usual." He joked. Zuko and Hilda didn't face eachother. Faking like they were angry with one another. Iroh grinned at them and went to wake Ashli and Violet. Once Iroh was out of the room, Hilda and Zuko snuck in another kiss and then acted mad again. It was during the moment of fake angry silence that both Zuko and Hilda rememberd what Zuko had said before he passed out. That just pushed the silence even more. Zuko was embarrised that he had said that, figuring he would die anyway, But he is still alive. So now he didn't know how Hilda would react to it. She had kissed him, which would probably mean that she liked him alot too, but did she love him? She could just have alittle teenage crush. Truth be told. Hilda, she did have a large crush on Zuko, enough to enjoy the kisses. But she wasnt positive her true feelings about him. She did think she loved him, but she didn't know if it was true or not. So much to confuse her. She had never been in love before, never. So she didn't know what this feeling was. It was deep in her heart but so unfamiliar.Zuko hadn't known what his feeling for her was at first either, but he eventually figured it out. He also figured that such a pretty girl must have felt like this before. But she hadn't. Zuko didn't know wiether to get the awncer out of her, or just wait for her to say something.If he waited he would feel anxious to know how she felt about him. Hilda tried to figure out really quick how she felt, she didn't want to lead him on. She knew that was bad.

"Zuko..I.." She said hesitantly. Zuko looked at her. So far it sounded like she felt the same way about him as he felt about her. "I...Don't know." His heart sunk.

"What?" He asked in disbeliefe. Hilda hung her head.

"Im not sure how I feel." She told him all at once, just to get it out of her throat. "I mean I really do like you. Alot but I don't know yet if I _love_ you." Zuko was silent after he heard that. Unsure of what to say. Luckly he didn't have to say anything. Iroh came in and Zuko orderd that they leave. Zuko stomped out with Iroh following him. Violet and Ashli stayed behind untill Zuko orderd them to come on. They didn't know who to go with, Zuko or thier sister? They saw Hilda might want to be alone right now, feeling like they wouldnt help her much, so they followed Zuko onto his ship. Hilda stood up and started to walk twords the large ship when she was grabbed by earthbending soliders. Knocked out before taken.

Zuko waited for her to hurry up and get onto the ship. He wanted to just leave. Andie had been taken into custady on the ship by his soldiers and thrown in a cell. But no where near Hilda's. Zuko sat on the railing of the ship, mending his broken heart. It was near noon before Iroh grew worried about Hilda. About eleven o' clock. He consulted his nephew and Zuko just growled.

"If that bitch wants to stay here, we should just let her." Zuko barked at Iroh. Unsteadieness in his voice. Iroh couldnt believe what his nephew was saying, one day he is putting his quest to get the avatar on hold to save her from being married off and then now he says she should just stay.

"What if she got hurt Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked him. Zuko didnt care if she did or not. She hurt him.

"Like I give a damn."

**

* * *

I'll be right there--Michelle Branch**


	18. Gone again!

**Gone...again!**

"Prince Zuko what has come over you? Yesturday you cared about her and today you don't." Iroh observed. Zuko just let a soft growl under his breath.

"Nothing!" Zuko barked.His voice now angrier than it had been in a long time. "Besides, what do I care if she stays or not?"

"Because you like her." A voice said from the door way to the hull. Violet walked upto Zuko. "Just because she doesn't know yet how much you mean to her doesnt mean that she still doesnt care about you. Your such a baby!"

"Shut up. What do you know?" Zuko hissed at Violet.

"I agree with her Prince Zuko. You seem to not act your age. I am awair that you are tired of being out at sea so long." Iroh told his nephew. "But you can't force someone to feel the same as you do."

"Just leave me alone." Zuko hissed when he relized they were both right. He sighed. "Uncle. Ready the Rhynos." Iroh smiled proudly at his nephew. When the rhynos were ready, Prince Zuko orderd that Violet and Ashli stay at the ship with Iroh and then he orderd a bunch of his soldiers to search the island. While Zuko searched it as well.

Hilda's eyes flutterd open to see she was riding in a carrage pulled by 2 purple dragons. The carrage was purple as well and silk. The seat was made out of purple silk pillows. Hilda would have escaped, but along with the dragons infrount, there were dragons on the side as well.So escaping was pointless. She saw the bracelette around her wrist that she found in her house while she was inspecting the old room. It wasnt expencive or beautiful. But it was special to her. It was made out of tiny rope-like thread and in the middle had a small earthbending symbol made out of tiny pebbles. She untied the tie that kept it around her wrist adn tossed it out the back of the Carrage, through the tiny square window. Praying that Zuko would find it. Now that she had a way for him to find her. She looked out the side window to the soldier walking aside the carrage.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked them. The soldier kept his eyes forward.

"Omashu." He told her point blank.

"Why?" She asked. He just blinked and kept his eyes forward.

"Classified."

It was a few hours after that, that Zuko; riding the rhyno and following the tracks the dragons left. Between the wheel tracks, he found her bracelette. He picked it up and examoned it.

"Yep. This is Hilda's." He said to himself as he got back on the rhyno. But didn't make it move. He just staired down at the braceltte adn throught about what Violet had said to him. "_Just because she doesnt feel the same about you doesnt mean she doesnt care about you! Your such a baby!" She is right. I am a baby. I treated Hilda like she had stabbed me in the back. Truth be told, She didn't. She has probably never felt love before, and if so, she doesnt have anyone to tell her what she is feeling..._ Not too long after that thought, he found himself in tears.He felt so stupid for what he did to her and how he treated her. He knew he would tell her he was sorry that he was such a jackass if he ever found her. But it was so fustraiting. He felt like he wouldnt ever find her. Clutching the bracelette in his hand. He tried to wipe away his tears and continue onward.But when he wiped the tears away more just kept coming.He had already lost her once like this, he wouldn't lose her again. But he didn't know if she was still going to be alive.Let alone still available to him. He didn't know anything about what would happen to her. That just made him cry even more. As Im sure I mentioned earlier. Crying can often make one feel better even though the situation hasn't changed a bit.

Katara sat beside Aang on Appa, holding his hand. The two had clicked and started dating while all this was happoning between Zuko and Hilda. Katara looked over the side of Appa when she heard someone below.

"Zuko." She told Aang softly. "Is...crying?" At that observation, Sokka and Aang looked over the edge of Appa.

"Never thought I'd see prince Zuko crying." Aang said to them both. "Wounder what is so bad that he had to cry."

"I don't know but we sho- Aang!" Before Katara could finish what she had to say, Aang jumped off Appa and onto the groun infrount of Zuko.

"Hey Zuko." Aang said playfully once he was sacurely on the ground. "Why are you crying?"

"Im not!" Zuko protested wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Yes you were. I could hear you!" Aang disagreed. Smiling proudly to himself. "Again, why?"

"First of all: I WASNT! and second of all..." Zuko said getting off his rhyno and takeing Aang's arms and putting them behind his back. "Im going to take you to my father now." Aang just laughed.

"I wouldn't If I were you." Aang told him. Pointing upwards to Katara and Sokka. "They will tell someone you cried and eventually, word will get to your father and you'll be the laughing stock of the fire nation." Zuko's eyes lowerd.

"You wouldnt-!" He barked. Aang smiled.

"I would." Aang told him grinning with satisfactory. Zuko pushed Aang away from him and allowed him to go. Katara and Sokka watched in amazement as Zuko did this. It seemed there was something diffrent about him after he met Hilda. He seemed a bit...Human. Zuko growled and walked back to his Rhyno.

"I don't have time for this." He growled. Hating that he was unable to capture the Avatar, all because of Hilda. If he hadn't felt so bad, he wouldnt have been crying and he would have been able to capture the Avatar without the threat of his reputation being ruined. But of course, he wouldn't be happy if he hadn't met Hilda either.

"Aang! You better get back up here before Zuko changes his mind!" Katara warned Aang. Aang nodded, bid goodbye to Zuko and got back onto Appa with his glider. Appa flew on while Zuko continued his search. It was at that moment that Zuko relized how much Hilda really ment to him. He wouldn't be happy if he hadn't met her. She ment the world to him, that he even gave up his ticket home for her.He then relized that he really was stupid for getting angry at her for not loving him. He figured now that if he truly loved her as much as he thinks he does, he shouldn't be angry at her about it. All he wanted to do sence he fell for Hilda was smile. He didn't know why he worried so much about what his uncle or his crew thought. His uncle only wants whats best for Zuko and his crew, thier opinions don't matter. Everyone on the ship loves Hilda and having her around. She is always a joy. He knew the first thing he would say to her once he found her. "Hilda im sorry. I forgot for a moment how important you were to me. Forgive me?" and if she forgave him, he would kiss her and thank her for her forgiveness. He could only think of her beautiful face on her beautiful body. Was he sick? Was he perverted? Zuko cared not if he was either one of the two or both or neither. He just knew that he loved Hilda.

Hilda had told the soldiers riding the purple dragons that were pulling the carrage that she wanted to go back. But everytime she complained, the soldier would deny her.

"At least tell me why Im going to Omashu." She barked. The soldier from the left of her awncerd the request.

"You have a great great grandfather in Omashu that just now relized your parents had passed on. After finding out he complained that no one tells him anything anymore, and then after he finished ranting he sent us to find you and your sisters. Apparently your the only one we found." He told Hilda. Hilda sighed, sat on her shins and staired out the back window that she threw her bracelette out of. The rode seemed to be getting further away. The way she staired at it, it seemed like she was hopeing Zuko would appear and save her. But she didn't see anything but the wineding rode behind her. "Is there anything wrong ma'am?"

"No.." She sighed. Stairing out at the rode which they had already She felt bad now how she hurt Zuko. She never intended to hurt him. She really liked him. But she didn't know yet if she was in love. She always thought of Zuko as someone she can look upto for support when she felt like falling.He probably wasnt looking for her to begin with. She probably just dropped her bracelette out there for some merchant to find and sell.

"Ma'am you seemed alittle preocupied." The soldier said to her after a while of silence. Hilda played with a tassel on a pillow.

"Just alittle problem." She mumbled to the soldier as she lisoned to the clack of the wheels everytime they hit the ground, and the stomping of the dragon's feet while they walked.

"care to discuss?" the soldier asked her. She was silent. "Also, my fellow soldiers and I have been waiting to meet you."

"Thats nice." Hilda told him, lieing down on the heap of pillows. "Well. A person I know knows this guy who loves her, but she doesn't know if she loves him back and he got mad at her because she didn't know what to do. She asked me to help her and I don't know what to do."

"well. It seems your friend really shouldn't feel bad. I understand this guy's heart is broken but that doesnt mean she has to feel things she doesnt." the soldier added. Then, one of the ones on the dragons who were pulling the cart put in his opinion.

"he has a good point. Although, I can understand why he would be angry." But the soldier next to him disagreed.

"It really wasnt her fault. They guy overreacted." he pointed out. Hilda had to put a stop to this.

"Okay. I'll keep all this in mind to tell my friend." Hilda told them, closing the silk curtain door on the carrage and lieing down, stairing up at the tent like top.


	19. FINAL!

**FINAL**

Zuko hated this time to think about how stupid he was. If she did die. He wouldnt be able to tell her he was sorry and that he was stupid. That he didn't mean to be so mean to her. That it all happend so fast that he couldn't compute it right. After he thought about it, he was actually not acting his age. He was angry because he had to leave home, but if he had stayed at the palace, he wouldn't have met the girl of his dreams. He didn't know how he got this way and he knew it wasnt alright. He knew life wasn't so shitty. He always had adventures with saving Hilda and arguing with her. He loved how she never obeyed him. How she would fustrait him and then come to him when she felt like dieing. How she cared so much about him while at the same time hating him. How her soft hair felt when she wanted him to be there for her, how good her food tasted. She was so beautiful in everyway. He couldn't just sit on his rhyno and waist time. Although his rhyno was moving, not fast enough for Zuko to be happy. His thoughts again began to take over his mind. _Hilda makes me feel like there is somewhere for me. Someone for me. I was so mean to her and if she dies, I will feel this guilt over and over again. Not knowing what life would be like with her._ This thought only made him want to find her faster. So he made his Rhyno hurry up, it was going as fast as it could so Zuko just had the be patiant, not his best quality. He had given himself and his uncle a walkie talkie so they would know if they found her, his rang and he hoped that maybe his uncle found him. He turned it on and awncerd it.

"Find anything Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked from over the walkie talkie. Zuko shook his head.

"Nope." Zuko replyed bitterly. Hating he was unable to find her.

"Thats a bad thing Prince Zuko becau-" But Iroh was cut off and next thing Zuko heard was Violet and Ashli's voices.

"You better find her Zuko!" They both orderd in unison.

* * *

This was a woundeful time to figure out what Zuko ment to Hilda. He was her morning sun basicly. When they arrived at Omashu, the entire city greeted her. As if she was someone important to someone other than Zuko and Iroh. She was escorted to the castle where her great great grandfather stood before her in a tacky purple robe. 

"Hello!" He greeted. Hilda rose an eyebrow.

"Hi"She greeted suspiciously.

"I am your great great grandpa and the king of Omashu." Bumi told her. Smiling at his great great eldest grandaughter.

"Im Hilda." She greeted. Politly of course. The king of Omashu, AKA King Bumi showed her around his large palace. All the while her mind was filled with Zuko. How much she missed him.

* * *

It was dark before Zuko got to Omashu. From here he was lost. So he figured he would ask around. Everyone thought he was insane. This made him angry that no one would tell him what he wanted to know. He decided to inspect everywhere in town. Starting at the karaoke bar. He figured she would be there because she liked to sing and such. When he walked in he saw Hilda singing on the stage. He smiled. When she finished, she didn't notice him, on her way out he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a hug. 

"Hey!" She snapped, but once she saw it was Zuko she smiled and kissed him.

"hey." He greeted back smiling. Zuko kissed her again for a bit, then he apoligized. "Im sorry I was such an asshole.I can't expect you to feel what you don't-" But Hilda placed a finger on his lips.

"Shh.." She said soothingly. "Don't put words into my mouth."

"What does that...?" Hilda kissed him and smiled.

"I do too." She told him smiling. It took him a few seconds to understand, but his face lit up as he hugged her.

"Great! Lets go!" But as he began to leave,with his hand holding Hilda's. He saw Hilda wasn't following him. "c'mon."

"I can't." She told him, taking her hand away from his. Zuko stood their in disbelieve.

"Why?" He asked. She frowned.

"I have a great great grandfather here, I have to tell him that Im leaving." She told him. "He is nice. He might let me go."

"Absolutly not." Bumi told her once she asked him. He had his mind firmly made up.

"Why not?" Hilda asked. Clutching Zuko's hand. Bumi glared at that and pulled her tword himself.

"He is Firenation." Bumi told her unfairly. Hilda glared.

"But I love him!" She barked at him, pushing his hand away from her and walking back to Zuko.

"Your only 16, you don't know what love is." Bumi barked at her. Hilda just stayed close to Zuko. Glaring a cold glare at Bumi.

"Yes I do! Zuko came all this way just to take me back! Im going back." She barked at her grandfather.Whom was really really old. Bumi sighed.

"It seems I can't force you to stay." He admitted bitterly. "So, I'll let you go. But if this Zuko guy does anything to you-"

"I assure you." Zuko finally added something into this conversation. "She is in good hands." With that, Bumi bid her farewell and Zuko took her back with him to the ship on the rhyno.

* * *

Zuko stopped his rhyno at a small clearing. "It will be late before we get back to the ship. we should just rest here." Hilda nodded and sat down on the grass. Zuko pulled out his walkie talkie and told his uncle that he found her. They were going to camp out for the night and will be at the ship before noon. With that, Hilda and Zuko lied down on the grass and staired up at the shimmering stars. 

"Beautiful." Zuko said aloud. Hilda smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yes."

"No, I mean you." He told her grinning. Hilda smiled and planted a kiss on his mouth.

"Your actually pretty sweet." She admitted smiling at him, hugging his neck.

* * *

Morning came and by Eleven o' clock they had gotten back to the ship. Everyone was happy to have Hilda back. Not to mention they were happy that Zuko was happy again, after a long two years, he was happy. Again, they were also happy because Zuko and Hilda admitted to their going out together now. Iroh, he was proud of his nephew for being such a gental men for once. **

* * *

Omg hihi people! Im happy to announce the finishing of All your fault! and anyway. I hope to see all of you who reviewed my fanfic, _Katuko,Mallaidh, and monkey brains,_ Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this fanfic as much as I did writing it! Sorry for the shortness of this chapter! now I shall leave you with a word. KORN! (spelled wrong on purpose) **


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